Jackie Chan Adventures: Altered
by YAXON
Summary: I'm thinking of writing alternate versions of all five seasons of JCA. Feedback would be nice, just tell me what you like or don't like. Now co-authored by Jamey Gamer. Almost midway through Season 2 right now;
1. The Hunt Begins

**I've got a story in mind for this section on this site. Yet I have no way of knowing if any of you would like it. Therefore, I'm writing this one-shot to see if any of you like my writing or not. I ask you to be honest in reviews. I may or may not be good at writing for JCA. This is just a taste of my idea, hope you enjoy.**

**Synopsis: History is altered once again, this time no one escapes the alteration, and the hunt for the talismans is on once more. The previous Enforcers are now Jackie's Aides, helping him at archaeological sites when required, and working in Uncle's shops when "off-duty". Jade still winds up having to stay a year with Uncle Jackie, and the previous Enforcers are paid to babysit when Jackie and Uncle cannot be there to keep an eye on her. The new Enforcers are the previous Ice Gang. Tohru is working for the Dark Hand again, and Shendu still requires the twelve talismans in order to be freed before New Year's. Valmont remains the leader of the Dark Hand. The tale in the new alternate reality begins when Jackie discovers the Ox talisman in a shrine in Mexico...**

The shrine looked ancient enough alright, with many artifacts still intact. Jackie was eagerly dusting off an old urn, while Finn, Ratso, and Chow, wearing clothes similar to Jackie's archaeogy clothes, were loading other artifacts into crates. When the last of the artifacts were stored away, Ratso and Chow began to put the covers on the crates while Finn turned to Jackie.

"Ready to go, Mr. Chan? There doesn't appear to be any other priceless artifacts that we can carry with our hands."

Jackie held up the now dusted urn proudly.

"... Yes, we probably have enough for a new exhibit in San Francisco anyway. Need any help, Ratso?"

Ratso was struggling to pick up one of the larger crates. He turned to Jackie and grinned.

"Nah. No worries, Mr. Chan. I'll get this thing down all those steps, no problem."

Jackie walked over to help Ratso after he put the urn in one of the crates that still had room. Chow walked further into the shrine and discovered another room with nothing in it but pillars and a giant stone ox head.

"Uhh... Guys? We missed this room!"

Jackie and Ratso didn't hear because they were hauling a huge crate down the many steps that they ascended to reach the shrine. Finn peeked into the room from the doorway.

"What are you talking about? This room's empty!"

Chow pointed to the giant ox head.

"Uh... Sure, but why's this thing the only thing in the room?"

Finn shrugged and dug his hands into his pockets.

"Who knows and who cares? We don't know what these ancient monks thought all those years ago... Besides, we're paid to help move stuff, not think like archaeologists."

Chow shrugged and slid his hand into the ox's mouth. He was surprised that he was able to open the mouth.

"Whoa... Look here, Finn. What do you think it is?"

Finn looked into the large cavity inside the ox head. In it was a talisman with a picture of an Ox on it. Finn picked it up and stared at it.

"Hmm... I dunno, but it's another artifact..."

"Chow! Finn!"

Chow turned to the entrance to the room, Jackie was calling them. Chow motioned with his hand as he made his way for the entrance.

"C'mon! Mr. Chan still needs our help."

Finn nodded and pocketed the talisman. When they got out there, Jackie was at the entrance to the shrine. He was holding a crate with both arms.

"Could you two please take the last two crates? Ratso and I got the rest. Now it's just the long trip back to San Francisco."

Chow picked up a crate that he could carry, thus it was small and not very heavy. Finn's crate on the other hand...

"Holy cow! What's in this thing?"

Jackie turned back as he was just about to head down the stairs.

"Oh! That was the one probably has the most stuff in it! Sorry! Didn't want to leave anything behind!"

Chow chuckled.

"Well, we do want to go and create an educational exhibit, I guess... Good luck, Finn..."

Jackie turned back one last time before heading down.

"I'll send Ratso back up to help if you need it!"

Finn exhaled and waved his hands.

"No, no... I got it, I need to earn my... paycheck...

Chow and Jackie were gone, and Finn was still struggling to pick up his crate. Suddenly, Finn felt stronger. He picked up the crate with just one finger.

"... Whoa. How'd I...?

Finn saw something glowing in his pocket expecting to see his cell phone. Instead, he took out the Ox talisman.

"... Oh. This. Rocks. Yeah, baby! No more heavy lifting!"

Ratso came to the entrance to the shrine just then. He looked at Finn in awe.

"Whoa..."

Finn noticed Ratso just then.

"Yo, Ratso! Look at me, all the power of an Ox in my pinky!"

Finn switched the crate from his index finger to his pinky. And the box remained balanced. Ratso grinned.

"How are you _doin' _that? You're, like, super strong now!"

Finn looked from side to side. Then he showed Ratso the glowing talisman.

"... Chow and I found this in a room we never bothered to check. We were going to add it to the artifacts, but... Mr. Chan had already began loading the crates in the truck... So what choice did I have but to pocket it? I was going to give it to Mr. Chan to hopefully get a bonus... But, man! We can use this to lift heavy stuff that we can't lift normally! Don't you agree, Ratso old buddy?"

Ratso ran over to Finn and held out his hands.

"Ooh! Let me try!"

Finn shook his index finger.

"Uh-uh-uh, Ratso. Not until I get this thing down to the truck. Then I'll let you have it to try elsewhere."

Ratso rubbed the back of his neck.

"Aww... Alright, c'mon..."

Ratso turned to leave and motioned for Finn to follow him. When they got back to the truck, Finn put the crate neatly in the back, and then handed the talisman to Ratso. Finn climbed in the back with Chow, and Ratso climbed in the driver's seat and strapped himself in. Spotting the talisman in Ratso's hand, Jackie, who was sitting in the passenger's seat, questioned Ratso about it as he started the engine.

"Ratso...? What's with the talisman? Where did you find it?"

Ratso held the talisman between his thumb and index finger.

"Uh... Chow and Finn found it further in the shrine. Finn used it to lift that heavy crate, I didn't even need to help!"

Jackie waved his hand dismissively.

"Oh, Ratso! You're crazy! How can a talisman make one superhumanly strong?"

Ratso smirked and opened his door.

"You asked for it...

Ratso got out of the truck and walked over to a nearby tree that was quite big. Pocketing the talisman to make sure he wouldn't squish it or anything, Ratso moved to one of the bigger roots of the tree and began to lift with all his might. Nothing happened at first, but then the talisman activated and Ratso was soon holding the enormous pine tree with one hand. Chow's sunglasses nearly fell off as he just stared on in awe. Jackie was awestruck as well. Jackie waved his hands nervously, the tree was a little too close to the truck. Ratso nodded and placed the tree down gently... well, as gently as he could, which resulted in a small earthquake due to the tree's size. Yet because it was torn out of the ground the tree wasn't stable anymore and it began to tip towards Ratso, who was now heading for the truck, and the truck. Jackie pointed at the tree that was falling faster and faster, but Ratso didn't seem to get it.

"... What...?

Finally, Ratso turned around and saw the tree come down hard. Holding out his hands, hoping that the power was still there, Ratso attempted to stop the tree from falling completely. He got lucky. He was now holding the tree with both hands. He carefully tossed the tree to the side, but that just knocked more trees over. Luckily they weren't falling in their direction, though. Ratso turned back to the truck and smiled sheepishly. He climbed in and started the engine again. Jackie's mouth was still wide open. Ratso held his hand out with the talisman.

"Here, sir. Sorry for the scare... I was only trying to prove it was possible..."

Jackie madly shook his head. He smiled nervously and took the talisman.

"No, no... It's okay. No one got hurt, and you proved your point. Sorry for not believing you the first time." Jackie held the talisman up to his eye and noticed engravings on the back. "Hmm... I'll get Uncle to translate these markings..."

After a long trip back to San Francisco, and after unloading the artifacts at the new museum, Jackie, Finn, Ratso, and Chow returned to Uncle's Shop. Uncle came from the back smiling happily.

"Jackie..."

Jackie noticed that Uncle had his arms spread like he wanted to hug, so Jackie was about to hug him when he got smacked in the forehead by Uncle's fingers.

"Ow!"

Uncle frowned and folded his arms.

"What did you bring me?"

Jackie rubbed his head while Finn, Ratso, and Chow made themselves comfortable on the couch. Jackie held out the Ox talisman.

"Here, Uncle. This talisman which Finn, Ratso, and Chow found can make people superhumanly strong. It has some markings on the back, so I was wondering if you could translate... But maybe it's not the talisman, but rather the shrine or... Ow!"

Jackie was hit again by Uncle.

"Shrine not important!" Uncle held up the talisman which was glowing, yet again. "Talisman glowing! Must do research! Come."

Jackie rubbed his head.

"But, Uncle... I just returned from Mexico! Can't I... Ow!"

Uncle hit him yet again. Uncle growled.

"You want to know more about this talisman... Yes? Then do as Uncle says! Help Uncle research!"

Jackie rubbed his head again, at least Uncle wasn't leaving any marks on his forehead. Jackie moaned.

"Yes, Uncle..."

Uncle made his way into the backroom. But before Jackie could, an orange blur tackled him to the floor. Jackie moaned yet again. A speedy voice broke the still silence that followed after he had been tackled.

"Uncle Jackie! PLLLLEEEEEAAAASSSSSEEEE don't leave me alone with Uncle again! Uncle smells of garlic all day long, and being in a Shop all day long is b-o-o-o-r-i-n-g!"

Jackie tried to stand up, but Jade had him pinned down. Jackie laughed lightly.

"Oh, Jade! Garlic isn't bad for you, and I grew up in this very Shop! Saying it's boring insults my childhood!" Jackie saw that Jade was staring him straight in the eye now with the most serious look. Jackie laughed nervously. "O-Okay... But it wasn't boring to me, okay?"

Jade folded her arms, still not getting off of Jackie, and harumphed.

"... Take me to Moose World. Then we'll talk."

That's when Finn made his entrance.

"Wa-hay! It's Jade! Been a good girl for Uncle?"

Jade smiled the most cheesiest smile in the whole world.

"Yes, Uncle Finn."

Finn laughed.

"Too late, kiddo, that smile just gave you away... So, Mr. Chan, need us to take her off your hands for you?"

Jackie nodded.

"Yes. I need to do research with Uncle. If I don't hurry..."

"JACKIIIIEEEE!"

Jackie smiled and chuckled nervously.

"... Too late. Well... Uh... Could you take Jade to Moose World? I must do research..."

Before he left, Jackie handed Finn enough money to get enough tickets for the four of them and enough for rides and food. Which was just shy of a hundred dollars. Finn nodded and picked Jade up after pocketing the money. She still wasn't cracking a smile. Ratso and Chow walked in then.

"So... we're babysitting again...?"

Chow asked, not really caring as long as he got paid. Ratso tried tickling Jade to get her to smile. It didn't work. Finn smiled nervously.

"W-Well... Time to go to... M-Moose World..."

About five minutes after Finn and company left still dressed like archaeologists, a black car pulled up outside the Shop. Three men got out, all roughly the same sizes as Finn, Ratso, and Chow. Yet they were considerably younger. The shortest one stepped into the Shop.

"Yo! Strikemaster Ice is in the hizzhoussse!

After seeing nobody in the Shop, Ice called out. The other two men did not step in the Shop, but stayed outside.

"Yo! Anyone here?" Ice looked around. Sure enough, the place looked deserted. Ice walked further into the Shop and put his hands on the counter with the cash register. "Man, service here stanks!"

Jackie came from the back and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry! Doing research in the back... How may I help you?"

Ice raised an eyebrow.

"Uh huh... Research... dat's cool, yo. But I'm here for yo' stone that you... recently acquired from a trip to Mexico."

It was Jackie's turn to raise an eyebrow now.

"Rock...? Mexico...? Wait, wait, wait... How do you know that I went to Mexico...? I barely delivered the artifacts to the museum half an hour ago! How can you possibly know about my trip if only a limited number of people knew? Besides, I never discovered a stone!"

Ice shook his head and folded his arms impatiently.

"Dawg, does it matter how I know? 'Sides. Yo' gotta come up with betta excuses than that! I's is talkin' about da rock wid da Ox! Da bossman's willin' to pay top dollar for dat rock! Just name yo' price, dawg."

Jackie nervously grinned and took a step back while shaking his hands wildly.

"Um... Sorry... That 'rock' isn't for sale. We are doing resear-"

Ice snapped his fingers.

"... Is cool, dawg. But dat's da wrong answer, homey. Yo! DJ Fist! MC Cobra! Dis dawg's not takin' our most... generous offer! Git in here, dawgs! We got some remodelin' ta do! Da Enforcers are in da hizzhoussseee! Alright!"

Jackie's mouth gaped as the two other men forced their way into the Shop with no respect for the antiques. He was still shaking his hands wildly as they advanced on him.

"No, no, no! No remodeling! Leave, please! Thank you!"

Jackie leaped over the three of them and got in a fighting stance. Ice shook his head disappointed.

"Yo, dawg! Blame yo'self! Ya know what I'm sayin'?"

Ice moved to a priceless vase and carelessly tipped it over. Jackie, using fast reflexes, managed to catch the jar before it fell and broke. MC Cobra tipped over a line of statues, but Jackie still managed to save each and every single statue without so much as a scratch. Everything was restored to their proper places, but that was before DJ Fist decided to crash into a bookshelf with jars on top of it. Jackie managed to save all five jars, the last one with his nose, but that's when the Enforcers got dirty and started attacking Jackie. Jackie let the jars roll on the floor, and he managed to repel all of the Enforcers' attacks.

Jackie dropkicked DJ Fist and elbowed MC Cobra into a wall at the same time. Ice attempted to kick him, but Jackie managed to dodge and leap kicked Ice. The Enforcers were in a triangle surrounding Jackie who was still in a fighting stance. They all lunged, but Jackie leaped out of the way at the last moment and they crashed into each other. While they were temporarily stunned, Jackie used that time to throw them out the door. Ice was the last to be thrown out, but because he was able to recover, Jackie had to literally kick him out. From outside, Ice waved a fist at Jackie.

"Yo! We be bringin' the pain on late-ah! You'll pay for dis, dawg!"

The Enforcers all piled into their car and drove off. Jackie heaved a sigh of relief and closed the door. Since it was getting late, he moved the Open sign for the Shop to Closed. Jackie made it to the sofa and sat down tiredly. He held his head now that he had a headache.

"Bad day..."

"JACKIIIEEE!"

That broke Jackie out of his stupor, so he rushed to Uncle in the backroom.

"Yes, Uncle?"

Uncle was holding the Ox talisman, but he was not asking about it.

"Did you make a sale...?"

Jackie shook his head.

"No, Uncle... They... Ow!"

Uncle hit Jackie on the forehead yet again.

"You are terrible salesman!"

Jackie shook his head as he rubbed it.

"But Uncle... They were bad..."

Uncle held up a finger.

"One more thing! I have discovered that the talisman is indeed magic..."

Jackie nodded.

"Yes, Uncle... It gives one superhu-"

Uncle seemed to raise his voice.

"One more thing! One talisman not important!"

Jackie's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Uncle! It's magic-"

Uncle raised his voice as high as it could go.

"ONE MORE THING! There are eleven more talismans! ONE MORE THING! Each has a different power!" Jackie was about to speak, but Uncle continued to speak. "ONE MORE THING! Talismans represent the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac... ONE MORE THING! Talismans are scattered around globe! You must find them! ONE MORE-"

This time, Jackie managed to interrupt Uncle.

"Uncle! It is getting late! We will worry about the other talismans tomorrow! _Please_, Uncle."

Uncle folded his arms and harumphed.

"Hmph... Excuses..."

Jackie shook his head and grinned at Uncle's eagerness.

"Uncle... There are some very bad people after the talismans... Or at least the Ox talisman."

Uncle was yelling at the top of his lungs... again.

"Then you will pack your bags! I will devise a locator spell... We mustn't allow the talismans to fall into _eeevil _hands!

Jackie tried to object, but Uncle had his hands over his ears, indicating he was not listening. So with a heavy heart, Jackie went to go pack his bags...

"One more thing! Take talisman! Will protect you if used correctly!

Jackie reluctantly took the talisman for safekeeping. Then he went upstairs to pack for a journey. As he was packing all his clothes, Uncle poked his head in Jackie's room.

"One more thing! You will only need enough clothes for one trip! You will be returning each time you retrieve a talisman. Uncle cannot devise a spell that will locate _all _the talismans at once."

Jackie nodded wearily and continued packing. Uncle left yet again...

The Enforcers stood before Valmont nervously. Valmont was getting angrier every second.

"So let me get this straight... You let an archaeologist... trounce you?"

Ice gesticulated wildly.

"It wasn't our fault, dawg! Er... Boss! Dat guy's got some mad skills! Mad skills!"

MC Cobra and DJ Fist nodded in agreement. Valmont still wasn't pleased.

"A simple talisman! That is all I ask for! And you... you... imbeciles mess that up! Tohru! Bring me my talisman!"

Tohru stepped forward from behind the Enforcers and bowed. Shendu's eyes glowed red.

"Need I remind you, Valmont... That it is _my _talisman... Because your minions were unable to require even one of my talismans... I will send some of mine along with your... Tohru... That talisman _will _be mine... one way or another!"

Valmont turned to Shendu and bowed respectfully.

"... You have my... humblest apologies, Shendu. ... They will be punished. Tohru?"

Tohru nodded and turned to the Enforcers who were inching away now. Ice tried sucking up to Valmont.

"Y-Yo... Dawg... Bossman... We's sorry, alright? We won't mess up again! Honest!"

Valmont chuckled darkly as Tohru wrapped the three Enforcers in a backbreaking embrace for a solid minute.

"Oh, believe me... You won't. Not after such... motivation. You will remain here while Tohru and the Shadowkhan retrieve the talisman. And you will never be trounced by Jackie Chan again... Do I make myself clear?"

Ice, in a voice deprived of oxygen, nodded.

"Y-You got it, B-Boss!"

Tohru let them go and the Enforcers gasped for air. Tohru was given the talisman locator, and he was on his way with three Shadowkhan...

Jackie was now sleeping soundly. He had packed everything he would need, and he would wake up in the morning to seek out the second talisman. Uncle was still up, devising a locator spell. Tohru approached the Shop at around midnight. The locator indicated that the talisman was near, and that it was higher up in the Shop somewhere. Tohru pointed to the window that the locator was glowing at, and the three Shadowkhan leaped up to the window and opened it...

Jackie woke up to a howling wind. He opened his eyes and saw that the window was open. The next thing that caught his eye was that three men dressed as ninjas were raiding the room, searching for something.

Jackie leaped out of his bed and addressed the men.

"You three again! I thought I told you...

The three 'men' turned towards Jackie, revealing that they had blue skin and red eyes under the ninja clothes. Jackie fell back on his bed in surprise.

"Wah! You're not those three teenagers!" Jackie was back on his feet and in a fighting stance. "All the same, you're not getting that talisman..."

Two of the Shadowkhan leapt at Jackie, but Jackie repelled their attacks and sent them into a wall. The third one was rummaging through the closet, so he didn't see Jackie when he leaped and came down and kicked him square in the back. The Shadowkhan disappeared, but the other two stood up and lunged at Jackie once more. Now that they had their backs to the window, it made it easy for Jackie to get rid of them. Putting all his energy into a swinging kick, Jackie kicked the two remaining Shadowkhan 'out of the park', meaning out the window.

Tohru saw the two Shadowkhan crash into a building and vanish. He groaned, pocketed the locator, and started to climb the gutter to Jackie's window. However, because of his weight, the gutter snapped in two, and Tohru came crashing to the ground.

"OUCH!"

Jackie, feeling a small earthquake from outside, looked out the window and saw Tohru sprawled out on the sidewalk. He scratched his head.

"Is he working for that same 'boss' that those three teenagers were...?" Jackie made sure he had the talisman securely in his pocket, and leaped out the window. Tohru rubbed his head as Jackie landed. "Hello, how are you?"

Tohru glared at him and held out his hand to be helped up. When Jackie did reach out his hand, Tohru took it and chucked Jackie into the window of Uncle's Shop, which did not break. Jackie groaned and did not move. Tohru stood up to his full height again and held out his hand.

"... The talisman."

Tohru sounded like he was tired. Jackie didn't blame him, but he couldn't hand over the talisman.

"I am sorry, but that talisman is not for sale and... Woah!"

Now Tohru held Jackie with just one hand, and he had his other hand balled into a fist.

"The talisman! Now!"

Jackie was able to wag his right index finger.

"Fighting is not nice!"

Jackie used his right hand to catch Tohru's huge fist at the last second, which he thought was kind of pointless at the last second, but miraculously, Tohru's fist seemed... light. Jackie realized.

"... The talisman!"

Tohru raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm...?

Jackie smirked and used both of his legs to kick Tohru away with ease. Tohru crashed into the building on the other side of the street and groaned. Jackie dusted himself off, ran over to Tohru, picked him up, and tossed him down the big hill that he had ascended to reach Uncle's Shop. Tohru began rolling and rolling and rolling.

"Whoa-oa... Ow... Ow... Ow..."

Soon enough, Tohru was out of sight. Jackie grinned and walked back into Uncle's Shop after unlocking the door...

Tohru came back to Valmont talisman-less, but he had quite a few bruises. Valmont was enraged.

"TOHRRRUUU!"

Shendu screamed and shouted.

"Even with the shadowkhan? You are _all _failures as allies!"

Tohru nervously tapped his index fingers together.

"B-But... There were only three Shadowkhan that were sent with me..."

Shendu hissed.

"Three Shadowkhan should have sufficed! No man has been able to conquer even _one_ Shadowkhan! An army was not necessary!"

Valmont glared at Tohru and the Enforcers as he addressed Shendu.

"My most humble apologies... _again_, Shendu. This will _never _happen again. We will retrieve the remaining talismans, and you _will _roam the Earth once more... Provided that your Lost Treasure is there to reward us at the end..."

Shendu screamed for a solid hour, Valmont's minions would surely mess up again...

**And that's the end of the Preview. If it's too short, sorry, but I would like some feedback. If some like it, you can all expect an update later this Fall. If not, well... I thank you for reading anyway. Captain Black should be able to be incorporated in the next Chapter, and I wouldn't just stop with the Talisman Hunt. I'd go ahead and do up alternate versions for all Five Seasons, it just depends on the feedback. So... R&R. **


	2. Monkey See, Monkey Do

**Here's Episode Two. Glad you guys liked the first episode, for the most part. I hope to publish one episode per week for each Season, with a month of intermission between each Season so I can plan them out. I hope to have Season One finished by January, but schedules can change, and sometimes it may be impossible for me to create writing periods each day. I already have one potential artist that will be drawing for me, and I will accept anyone else's offer if they really want to draw for an alternate JCA series. The fillers of Seasons 2, 3, 4, and 5 will be placed in their proper seasons if you guys really want them. Might just have to go with the "important" episodes first, and then do the fillers in a few years, all depends on you guys. **

Shendu's eyes were glowing a dark red. That meant he was "awake" again, and a talisman had just revealed itself. Shendu bellowed at Valmont.

"Valmont!" Valmont was doing nothing in particular before Shendu started talking, and none of his men were around. Shendu continued as he had Valmont's attention. "A talisman has just revealed itself... The monkey... I want your men to find it... and bring it to me. If your men cannot bring me this one talisman... _you _will be punished for _their _incompetance. Do I make myself clear...?"

Valmont was taken aback by Shendu's brutal threat, but he nodded nervously and spoke carefully.

"R-Rest assured, Shendu... My men will _not _fail at getting the Monkey Talisman... I will send all four of them this time to make probability of success 100%! So, where's the Talisman?"

Shendu sighed and revealed the location: At the bottom of the sea floor near a Pacific volcanic island...

Meanwhile, Jackie was already on his way to that island in search of the talisman. After an hour long boat ride, he arrived on the island alone ahead of the Enforcers. Jackie looked out into the water, in scuba gear, and jumped right in. Searching for it took some time, but only five minutes. In that time span, however, the Enforcers had arrived and were now in the water searching for the talisman in scuba gear. Ice pointed at Jackie upon seeing him holding the talisman.

"It's Chan, dawg! And he's holding another rock that belongs to us! Get him!"

Jackie turned to the three of them and backed away in surprise.

"Wah!"

The Enforcers moved in on Jackie, but Jackie was too fast and was swimming in the opposite direction. Jackie swam around a large rock formation and made a beeline for the boat he came in. The Enforcers were right behind him at this point, but Jackie managed to get to and onto the boat. When he climbed aboard, he was greeted by none other than Tohru. Tohru had his arm stretched out and he sounded tired.

"The Talisman..."

Jackie waved his arms up and down frantically.

"I'm afraid I can't do that!" Jackie turned around in an attempt to jump off the boat, but the Enforcers were just getting onto the boat. "Wah!"

Ice snickered and stood on the boat triumphantly.

"Ha...! How about that, dawg? We cornered a rat when going for the Monkey!"

Jackie took this oppurtunity to slide between Tohru's big legs, which caught everyone off-guard. While the Enforcers began to run past Tohru, Tohru turned around and growled. Jackie went around a corner and climbed a ladder that led to the top of the boat. The Enforcers were in hot pursuit, but they lost him at this point.

"Hey! Where'd he go?"

MC Cobra asked. Tohru caught up to them and pointed at the ladder.

"... Up."

The Enforcers ascended the ladder while Tohru waited at the foot of the ladder in case Jackie got past the Enforcers again. At the top, there was very little room, and no other way to escape for Jackie. The Enforcers covered all sides, which meant no chance of getting back to the ladder. Ice snickered yet again.

"Haha! Another one bites the dust!"

Just as the Enforcers were moving in, a massive tidal wave began to rise. Jackie was pointing at the wave, which was behind the Enforcers, but the Enforcers only gave him blank looks and continued to move in. The tidal wave overturned the boat, and Ice was the first one to crash into Jackie as the boat was being overturned. He managed to wrestle the talisman from Jackie's hands, and then... nothing but thunder booming in the distance...

Finn was complaining to Uncle in the backroom as Ratso and Chow were entertaining Jade with video games.

"Awww! C'mon, Unc! Mr. Chan must've gone on _some _expedition! If he wasn't, he wouldn't have taken a suitcase with him!"

Uncle shook his head and wagged his finger.

"I am sorry... But Jackie is retrieving another talisman..." Uncle closed a book he was perusing. "Besides... Jackie can retrieve the Monkey Talisman on his own. He nearly lost the Ox, but as you can see..." Uncle motioned to a box on a table. "It is safe here. Now... Time to make tea..."

As Uncle walked into the kitchen, Finn casually responded.

"Ah... Interesting... And where is this Monkey Talisman...?"

Uncle gave him the location without realizing what he was doing.

"Ha-cha! You cannot go! You must watch Jade!"

Finn rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Yeah, we don't even have a ride to get to that Island... Darn..."

Uncle started brewing his tea triumphantly.

"Good..."

Finn walked up to the cash register as the bell jingled signalling someone entering the shop.

"Welcom to Uncle's Rare Finds... How may I be of assistance?"

The bald man wearing a black jacket looked from left to right, as if to make sure nobody was listening, and then spoke.

"Uh... Just answer yes or no... Was-this-shop-well-and-truly-attacked-by-three-men? One-short-one-medium-sized-and-one-tall?"

The man asked rather quickly. Finn barely heard the first question, let alone the second one. Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Mr. Chan did say something about reckless visitors that had no respect for antiques... Why?"

The man in black sighed and shook his head.

"... Is Mr. Chan at home at this time? He may be in immediate danger..."

Finn shook his head and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"... Mr. Chan's away on a... business trip. Might I ask who's concerned for him?"

The man sighed.

"... Let's just say... An old friend. Look, just have him call me when he gets back... I'll even leave you my number..."

As the man pulled out a business card, Finn took it and read the name.

"Captain... Black? I've never heard of ya..."

Black chuckled.

"That's because I'm part of a... secret organization. Just give that to Mr. Chan, okay?"

Finn stopped Captain Black as he was about to see himself out.

"W-Wait! Mr. Black, please... If you're a part of a secret organization, surely you must have some sort of transportation like a plane or... a jet...? Listen, I need something that'll get to Mr. Chan. He's... going after an artifact that those "bad men" were after... I suspect that those "bad men" will be going after this second artifact, too. Please, I'd like to help Mr. Chan as much as I can, can you help? Please?"

Black rubbed his chin and sighed.

"Well, I suppose... I'd like to capture those men as soon as possible... Grab whatever you'll need. I'll be out front..."

Black exited the shop, and Finn pumped a fist into the air.

"Score!" Finn was about to go tell Ratso and Chow the news, but he realized the Ox Talisman might be of some use. Finn took it and ran into the living room.

"Yo Ratso! Chow! Why don't we, uh, fix up some grub for Jade?"

Chow raised an eyebrow while Ratso sounded disappointed. Jade was too absorbed in the game to hear Finn.

"Aww... I was gettin' good at this game, too..."

Chow and Ratso followed Finn as he led them to the front of the store. Chow spoke up finally.

"What's going on, Finn...? I thought..."

Finn spoke in a hushed whisper.

"I secured a way for us to get to Mr. Chan! Babysitting doesn't bring in as much moolah as helping Mr. Chan with artifact hunting and gathering... and I'd much rather get a bigger paycheck, wouldn't you guys?"

Ratso and Chow nodded eagerly. Ratso was the only one who replied, however.

"But... What about Jade? Won't Mr. Chan get mad if we're not watching his niece...?"

Finn waved his hand dismissively.

"Eh, Unc can take care of her for a few hours... 'Sides, she won't notice us missing...

Finn opened the door to the black car, only to find Jade sitting in that seat. Finn took a step back in surprise.

"Wh-How did you...?"

Jade merely shrugged.

"You guys have to watch me, dont'cha? You can't do that if you're going to an island in the Pacific."

Finn groaned, but Ratso and Chow got in the two seats beside Jade. Chow put his hands behind his head as he leaned back.

"Okay, whatever. C'mon, Finn!"

Finn got in the passenger seat in the front, and they were off...

The Enforcers and Tohru woke up on the Pacific island. The tide must've brought them ashore. Ice looked around not realizing he didn't have the Talisman anymore.

"Yo, big T! Looks like we lost Chan!"

Tohru shook his head and started getting water out of his right ear.

"Then... The Talisman is also lost to us...?"

Ice shook his head and smirked.

"No, dawg! See, I managed to snatch..." Ice looked around and began patting himself. "W-Where is it...? I had it! Ah crud..."

MC Cobra spoke up next.

"Yeah, I haven't seen it either... Chan must still have it!"

Ice punched the sand.

"No fair! I. Had. It!"

Tohru stood up and looked into the jungle that was not too far away.

"... Well, we don't have time to lose. If we washed ashore, there is a chance that Chan is on this island as well. And we cannot allow Chan to escape with the Talisman..."

On another shore on the island, Jackie woke up without the Talisman, too. He looked around nervously, expecting the Enforcers to be nearby.

"H-Huh...? Where... Where am I...?" Jackie gasped as he patted himself, thus discovering that he did not have the Talisman. "The Talisman! Ugh... The Enforcers must still have it... Ice wrestled it from me, but that's all that I can recall..."

Jackie stood up and looked around.

"Well, I can't let the Enforcers get away with the Talisman... I best search for them now..."

Jackie sighed and ventured into the jungle...

On yet another shore, a helicopter landed, and Captain Black, Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Jade got out. Black looked around while Ratso discovered the Talisman that was near his left foot.

"Hey! It's the Talisman! That was easy..."

While Ratso pocketed the Talisman, Chow looked around and raised an eyebrow.

"But that begs the question... Doesn't it? Where's Mr. Chan?"

Jackie was quietly venturing through the jungle. He wanted to find the Enforcers, not the other way around. However, some things are just... unavoidable.

"It's Chan, yo! Git 'im!"

Jackie was now staring at the Enforcers and Tohru, who were no more than ten feet away. Jackie was off to a running start in the opposite direction now, but it was too late: the Enfocers were already going for him, and they were quick on their feet. They pinned Jackie down in less than ten seconds. MC Cobra and DJ Fist held Chan by the shoulders and arms and made him stand up. Tohru extended his hand.

"... The Talisman."

Jackie blinked in surprise.

"Wha...? I thought you had it!"

Ice shook his head and frowned.

"Dawg, if we had it, we'd be making a beeline for home... Now... Cough up the stinkin' Talisman!"

Jackie's eyes widened.

"I do not have it! And if you don't have it either, that means the Talisman could still be in the sea!"

Ice shook his head in disappointment.

"Dawg, who's gonna believe a lie like dat...?"

MC Cobra and DJ Fist patted Jackie down real good, and Tohru even held Jackie by the legs and shook him firmly. Nothing but a cell phone came out of Jackie's pocket. MC Cobra picked up the phone and pocketed it.

"Yo, we got a way to get home now! Now all we need is the Talisman..."

Tohru picked up a sharp stick and pinned Jackie to a tree by his shirt. Tohru wagged his pointer finger at Jackie.

"... And because I highly doubt that he's called for help, Chan will now be trapped here." Tohru turned to his cohorts. "Now. Top priority is finding the Talisman. Everybody move out..."

Just as they were about to spread out and search for the Talisman, voices could be heard.

"I heard something over here, I think!"

It didn't take long before Finn, Ratso, Chow, Jade, and Captain Black were in full view. The Enforcers were freaking out that Captain Black was here, but Tohru was... "underwhelmed".

"Hmph... While this comes as a surprise, I must say that this would've happened sooner or later... Attack them!"

The Enforcers quickly realized that they were evenly numbered, and leaped to attack Finn, Ratso, and Chow. Surpisingly, however, Finn, Ratso, and Chow all assumed perfect positions that would counter the Enforcers' attacks. That left Captain Black with Tohru, which was a little unfair, yet Captain Black managed to make Tohru slide a few feet backwards with a leap kick. Tohru assumed a tackling stance and lunged at Captain Black. While all this was going on, Jackie was very confused...

_(Why are they here...? Why did they bring Jade? What made them think that was a remotely good idea...? And, most importantly, why haven't I slid out of this shirt yet?)_

After processing the last thought, Jackie raised his arms and slid out of his shirt with ease. Jackie raced over to Captain Black who appeared to be in more danger, not knowing that the Enfocers were dangerously close to getting the Monkey Talisman. Chow was on the ground already after being tripped by MC Cobra, Finn was nearly retreating after many rapid punches and kicks from Strikemaster Ice, and Ratso was pinned to a tree by DJ Fist, who was now commencing a body search for the Talisman. Finn, realizing this after a brief glance to the side, used the Ox Talisman to stop an incoming fist from Ice and threw him at MC Cobra who was standing over Chow triumphantly, thus knocking him over.

Finn raced over to DJ Fist, but it was too late: DJ Fist had found the Monkey Talisman in Ratso's right pocket. Seeing Finn coming at him, DJ Fist leapt backwards and landed on his palms while Finn proceeded to crash into a tree and knock it over because of the Ox Talisman. Finn shook his head agitatedly, and DJ Fist leapt again and landed on his feet. He looked at the Monkey Talisman and aimed it at Finn, still not saying anything. Sure enough, a beam of light fired from the Talisman and Finn turned into a monkey. Chow, now standing up, cried out.

"Finn!"

Now everyone's attention was on DJ Fist and Finn, who was now a monkey. Tohru smirked and brushed Jackie aside dismissively and walked over to DJ Fist who willingly handed the Monkey Talisman over to Tohru. Tohru aimed at Jackie.

"Chan. I'm going to make a monkey out of you!"

Jackie's eyes widened as the Talisman fired. He dodged to the left and lunged at Tohru in an attempt to wrestle the Talisman from his big hand, which failed miserably. However, that didn't mean someone else didn't succeed at getting the Talisman out of Tohru's hand.

"Hii-yah!"

Jade, who had climbed a high tree that had a branch right above Tohru's head, had lunged from said branch and had "karate kicked" Tohru in the noggin, which sent Tohru collapsing to the ground. The Talisman flew from Tohru's hand, and Chow grabbed it and aimed it at Finn the monkey.

"Change him back!"

A beam fired from the Talisman again, and Finn was back to his normal self. Realizing the Ox Talisman was in plain sight, Finn pocketed it yet again and got up and dusted himself off. Ice took this oppurtunity to nail Chow in the head with a swinging kick, thus causing Chow to lose the Talisman as well. However, this time, Ratso caught the Talisman as it was in the air and aimed it at Ice.

"Ooh! Change him into a... an... um..."

MC Cobra and DJ Fist tackled Ratso, and the Talisman was up for grabs... again. Jackie nearly had it this time, but Tohru, still sprawled out on the ground, grabbed Jackie's leg rather quickly and forcefully sent him flying into the tree branch above him. Jackie flew past the branch and landed back on it, but in the wrong position: Now he was hanging like a shirt left out to dry. Ice was going for the Talisman again, but this time Chow and Ice got it at the same time.

"You dirty rat!"

"T-Turtle, dawg!"

Ice was turned into a rat, and Chow was turned into a turtle. Ice thought he had the advantage since he was a rat: A rat being speedy and small, but he was wrong as Chow's front right leg completely covered the Talisman. It was impossible for him to change back now. Chow quickly thought, "Change me back!" and he was human again, holding the Talisman out of Ice's reach.

Tohru now towered over Chow. He picked Chow up and shook him real good, which caused his glasses to fall off, and the Talisman to fall out of his hand. Ice was on the Talisman in a heartbeat and he was back to normal, clutching the Talisman. Soon Shadowkhan appeared and dragged Tohru, Ice, MC Cobra, and DJ Fist into the shadows. Leaving everyone else on the island...

When the Enforcers and Tohru opened their eyes again, they were in the presence of Valmont and Shendu. Valmont seemed pleased, while Shendu seemed... well... same as ever. MC Cobra looked pretty excited, though.

"Yeeesss! It worked, dawg! Haha! The Shadowkhan came at the perfect time: When we were winning!"

Tohru picked up the Talisman that now laid at Ice's feet. Ice just seemed... shocked... that they got out of there with the Talisman. Tohru walked over to Valmont who placed the Monkey Talisman in its proper place. Valmont crossed his arms in front of his chest and smirked.

"Well, well... It seems the four of you is what was needed for success... I must say that I am impressed."

Shendu's eyes glowed red.

"Yes... It appears with all four of you out there, you make the playing field even... From now on, the four of you shall go together... and my Shadowkhan shall return you to me..."

Valmont tapped his forehead with his right pointer finger as he leaned against the wall that Shendu was hanging on.

"Ah... But how did you contact me, Cobra?"

MC Cobra held up Jackie's phone.

"Dawg! We scored it from Chan! We thought we'd have to search for the Talisman, but his "helpers" located it for us and brought it to us... It was perfect!"

Ice rubbed his arm.

"... Except for the part where we were kicked around..."

Tohru rubbed his head and nodded. Valmont shrugged.

"Well, now that you have obtained a Talisman, you have earned your paychecks for the week... You may take the rest of the day off... But be ready should Shendu call upon you tomorrow..."

The Enforcers and Tohru groaned and walked to the elevator...

Jackie and company were now at the helicopter that Captain Black used to reach the island. Jackie was wildly gesticulating at this point. Finn, Ratso, and Chow brought Jade along for the trip, they were being kicked around with only a mild success of hitting back, and they lost the Monkey Talisman in the end.

"What made you three think that it was a _remotely _good idea to bring Jade? And _how _did we lose the Talisman?"

Chow cleaned his glasses as he replied.

"Well, Jade was right about us having to keep an eye on her... And we wanted to help you, Mr. Chan."

Ratso nodded.

"Yeah! We wanted to start using our martial arts skills that you taught us!"

Finn shrugged and put his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, but we could use some more lessons. Those dudes were pretty darn good! And what's the deal with the big sumo guy?"

Captain Black motioned for all of them to get in the helicopter.

"... I'll explain who the Dark Hand is after we get back to Section 13. We're still alive, and we should all feel fortunate."

Jackie shook his head wildly.

"B-But... The Talisman!"

Finn took the Ox Talisman from his pocket.

"Oh! Don't worry, we still have the Ox, I brought it along so we could kick these "Enforcers" around, but instead, we were the ones kicked around."

Jackie groaned and took the Ox Talisman from Finn.

"Thank you, Finn... Don't worry, I'm not mad at any of you... I do appreciate you wanting to help, but I do wish I could keep Jade safe while this Talisman Hunt is going on..."

Everyone was now in the helicopter, and it was taking off. Captain Black smirked and spoke to Jackie.

"Well, don't worry, Jackie... You and your niece can stay at Section 13 while this "Talisman Hunt" is going on. Also, the Talismans can stay there in the Vault, and there won't be any possibility of these "Talismans" falling into the wrong hands...

Finn, Ratso, and Chow looked imploringly at Captain Black. Black saw their looks in the mirror and groaned.

"... And your aides can stay at Section 13, too... I guess we could use a few more part-time workers... You'll mostly be filing and cleaning the place... And believe me, you'll be _earning_ those paychecks of yours... Section 13 is massive..."

Finn, Ratso, and Chow swallowed nervously as the helicopter chartered its course for Section 13...


	3. To Prove Worth

**This is where the Talisman locations start to differ. There's two Talismans to this "episode", so enjoy. Go to my Profile to take the Poll for which Talisman you want to "see" in the next episode. Poll will be closed this Friday, so vote while you can! R&R.**

Jackie and his Aides had been in Bavaria for a couple of days now. Uncle claimed that one of the twelve Talismans resided in a Bavarian castle, so they had been visiting each and every one in search of it. Chow had been the whiniest of them all, and he was kicking up a fuss again because they had to, once again, narrowly avoid booby traps.

"Mr. Chan, are you sure that a Talisman's even here? Each castle we've been to has had the same booby traps! Well, in different sequences... Still! The Dark Hand could have the Talisman for all we know!"

Jackie shook his head as they entered yet another room. Chow had spoken too soon, for in the room was a shield. And at the center of a shield, there was the Rooster Talisman. Jackie grinned at Chow.

"You see, Chow? It pays to be thorough."

Chow frowned, crossed his arms in front of his chest and harumphed. Meanwhile, Ratso and Finn proceeded to acquire the Talisman. Jackie stopped them, for more reasons than one, actually.

"I'll get the shield. I don't want you two getting hurt. Besides, the shield can be donated to the museum back in San Francisco. You can carry it to the car, but let me get it in case of booby traps. At the first sign of danger, I want you to get out of here, okay?

All three-Chow, Ratso, and Finn-nodded reluctantly. Ratso and Finn walked back to Chow, and Jackie proceeded to get the shield. However, Chow got the oh-so-"brilliant" idea to get some of the other treasures in the room. The second he picked up a golden rod, the door for the room began to rapidly close. Jackie picked up another golden rod close by and threw it at the door before it closed fully. The rod was bending under the weight of the door, so Jackie pointed at what seemed to be their only exit.

"Go, go, go!"

Chow, Ratso, and Finn got out no problem. But the door shut right before Jackie could slide on out. Right after the doors closed, darts shot out from walls on either side of Jackie, so Jackie was forced to think quickly. He saw a hole in the wall on the opposite side of the room that looked like it could fit him. Jackie dodged darts while he made a dash for the shield. Jackie grabbed the shield and used it to deflect darts coming at him both ways. Then he made his way to the wall, jumped from wall to wall to get up to the hole in the wall, and put the shield directly under him as he entered the hole. The result was him sliding through a tunnel and coming out of the castle alive.

Outside, Finn, Ratso, and Chow ran out of the castle, panting. Ratso sighed and dusted himself off.

"Mr. Chan sacrificed himself for us... I hope he's alright..."

Finn shrugged and looked around.

"... He's fine, Ratso. There's gotta be another way out of that room."

And that's when a loud sound caused them to look back up at the castle. Emerging from the castle, Jackie, still on the shield, slid down a hill to his Aides. Jackie looked out of sorts, tired, but happy he got out alive.

"... Snowboarding works much better with snow."

Ratso blinked and stared at Jackie. Then he pointed at the shield.

"Um... That's more like a sled..."

Finn shook his head and put his hands behind his head.

"Anyway... We gonna get the shield to the museum or what?"

Jackie pocketed the Talisman, and they walked back to the van they drove to get to the castle. Upon arriving at the van, Strike Master Ice, MC Cobra, and DJ Fist jumped from behind the trees surrounding the van. Ice was on top of the van, and he was the first to speak, as usual.

"Hand over the shield, Chan. Big V wants it... for more than one reason, yo."

Ice had his arm outstretched, but Jackie held it close to his chest.

"You can't have it! It will be donated to the museum back in San Francisco!"

Ice shook his head and hopped down, he was between MC Cobra and DJ Fist now.

"No, dawg. That shield's gonna give Big V a pretty penny, somewhere in the million dollar range... Know what I'm sayin'? And we want the Talisman on the shield, too."

Jackie handed the shield to Ratso and got in a fighting stance.

"Why do you want the Talismans so badly? What could you possibly gain?"

Ice smirked and got ready to leap.

"Your job is not to ask... But to fork over! Wahhh!"

Ice leaped into the air and attempted to kick Jackie over. He landeded without even touching him because Jackie somersaulted forward, whipped around with a swinging kick while still crouched down on the ground, and knocked Ice over. MC Cobra and DJ Fist sprung into action by running at Jackie, but Finn and Chow got in their way. Chow tackled MC Cobra, and Finn elbowed DJ Fist as hard as he could. Now all the Enforcers were on their backsides. Ice was the first to get up, and he attempted to get the shield. Ratso, being smart for once, smacked the oncoming Ice. The result was Ice getting knocked out.

MC Cobra was the next to try and get the shield, but he got tripped by Chow, and his face made contact with the shield. Hard. MC Cobra was knocked out, too. DJ Fist was the last to get up, but Jackie and Finn crushed him as they ran at each other. DJ Fists bones could be heard cracking, and he fell over unconscious. By this time, Ratso had gotten the shield over to the van, and he stored it in the back. Then he and Chow got in the back passenger seats. Finn hopped in the "shotgun", and Jackie hopped in the driver's seat. Once they were all buckled, they drove off. Seconds after the van left, Tohru came crashing through the trees uttering his battle cry. Naturally, he saw his cohorts crumpled on the ground, defeated. Tohru shook his head and looked at the tire tracks left by the van.

"Oooh... Master will not be pleased..."

As if on cue, Shadowkhan appeared and dragged Tohru and the Enforcers back to Valmont and Shendu...

Valmont had his back to the now conscious Enforcers and Tohru, who had arrived at the scene too late. He wasn't staring at Shendu, but he was staring in Shendu's direction. Valmont tried to control his anger.

"... You're telling me... that you failed... _again_... Give me one good reason why I shouldn't fire you right now."

Tohru was tapping his pointer fingers together.

"I will do better, Master... Had I been there, we would have acquired the shield..."

Valmont turned around to the four of them and growled.

"And that's the point, Tohru! I am _trying _to make it so that these... these..." Valmont was motioning at the Enforcers. "_Children_... won't grow dependent on you! If they can't even defeat one archaeologist and his Aides... Then what's the point of keeping them around?"

Ice pointed at the Monkey Talisman that was on Shendu.

"Dawg, if we had dat thing with us, we would've got da shield _and _da Talisman! If you'd let us turn Chan and his annoying posse into wild animals, we'd have all the Talismans by now!"

Shendu's eyes glowed red. He sounded mad, so what else was new?

"But if I gave you the Talisman, you would have lost it. You _always _lose when it comes to magical trinkets!"

MC Cobra frowned and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"You haven't even given us a chance yet! Hit Chan when he's unaware, and there's no way that he can win! Just give us one chance! _One_! Chance!"

Valmont looked skeptical, but it took Shendu a minute to respond. The next thing MC Cobra knew, a Shadowkhan was holding the Monkey Talisman in front of him, and he seemed to be giving it to him. MC Cobra took it, and Shendu spoke at last.

"... Very well, MC Cobra. But should you return emptyhanded... You and your gang will pay dearly for it..."

MC Cobra nodded, and the Enforcers exchanged high fives. Valmont turned to Tohru.

"... Tohru, you will remain here. The Enforcers need to prove their worth. We have no idea where they are keeping the Talismans... So..."

Shendu's eyes glowed red again, and he seemed pleased.

"Ah... Another Talisman has revealed itself. The Sheep Talisman. Retrieve it, Cobra. I want to see it when you get back..."

MC Cobra nodded nervously, and the Shadowkhan took the Enforcers to the Talisman's location...

While the Enforcers and Tohru were being chewed out, Uncle had called Jackie and his Aides, alerting them of another Talisman's location.

"Jackie! Do not return home yet! The Sheep Talisman has revealed itself to be in... Russia."

Jackie and his Aides were at the airport, catching a flight to get back home, so Uncle caught them in time. Jackie yawned and complained.

"But Uncle... We've been wandering around all day in search of the Rooster Talisman... We found it, fought off the Enforcers, and are ready to return home... Can't this wait until tomorrow?"

Uncle smacked the counter loud enough with two fingers for Jackie to know that he meant to hit him. Uncle began speaking again aggravatedly.

"You want to prevent evil forces from obtaining magic... Yesss...? Then go to Russia now! You can sleep on way over."

Jackie groaned and let Uncle tell him the exact location of the Sheep Talisman. Then he hung up and turned to the Aides who looked ready to go home. Jackie sighed.

"... You three can get a ride home. Unfortunately, I have to travel to Moscow, Russia in order to acquire the Sheep Talisman. Don't ask me how a Sheep Talisman can be in Russia. I don't know. I'll see you three in a few days... If you'll excuse me..."

Finn stopped Jackie, and all three of them stood in front of Jackie.

"Whoa there, Mr. Chan. Wherever you go, we go. We don't want you getting attacked by the Enforcers when you're all by yourself. We couldn't live with ourselves if something happened to you. 'Sides, it's on the way back home... Sorta."

Jackie grimaced but nodded reluctantly.

"O-Okay... I just don't to overwork you three. You've had a long day."

Finn shrugged.

"So have you. Doesn't mean we can't nab another Talisman on our way back home. C'mon, Mr. Chan."

The four of them all got in line to get tickets to go to Moscow...

By the time they reached the temple that was said to hold the Sheep Talisman, they noticed that it was gone already. Jackie groaned.

"... So much for getting it before the "forces of evil" got to it... They must be long gone by now."

MC Cobra's voice could be heard as a beam of magical energy came from out of nowhere and blasted Jackie.

"Or we could be closer than you think! Hehe!

Jackie was turned into a squirrel, and the Aides were caught by surprise. The Enforcers were higher up in the temple, and they were looking down on the Aides "menacingly." They all jumped down and landed perfectly. MC Cobra stood up straight and held the Sheep Talisman in one hand, and the Monkey Talisman in the other.

"This was way too easy! So, uh, what do you freaks wanna be? Cat? Dog? Fish? Ant? ... Chicken?"

All three of the Aides were now charging at the Enforcers. But DJ Fist and Ice met them and kept them all back. Chow, without the Enforcers knowing, pocketed the Rooster Talisman that had gotten separated from Jackie when he had turned into a squirrel. Ice wagged his pointer finger at the Aides.

"Nuh-uh. We make a trade, dawg. You get Chan back when you cough up the Rooster Talisman. And before you ask... Yeah, we want the Ox Talisman, too. What's the use of asking for some of something if you can get it _all_?"

Finn chuckled and put his hands in his pocket.

"... You want it? You got it!"

Finn ran at Ice and DJ Fist again, both expecting to knock Finn away, but were taken by surprise. Finn rammed into them and sent the two flying into MC Cobra, who smacked into a wall. Because of this, the Monkey Talisman and Sheep Talisman were sent flying in separate directions. Ratso and Chow were confused. Chow was the only one who voiced his confusion, though.

"Finn...? H-How'd you do that?"

Finn chuckled again and motioned for Chow and Ratso to look at his belt. He was wearing the Ox Talisman on his belt.

"... Kinda obvious, isn't it? Even those Enforcers didn't know I was wearing it."

Ice was up again, he was really fast on his feet, and he was running for the Monkey Talisman. Chow was running after him, and he was holding out his right hand, hoping to catch Ice by the leg.

"Oh no you don't! ... Huh...?"

Now Ice was floating in midair, and he wasn't making any progress at getting the Monkey Talisman. Ratso and Finn watched, stunned. Meanwhile, DJ Fist managed to get the Sheep Talisman without anyone knowing. Even MC Cobra was unaware because he was out cold. Ice was wildly gesticulating now.

"H-H-Hey! L-L-LEMME DOWN! LEMME GO!"

Chow pulled the Rooster Talisman out of his left pocket and stared at it. Sure enough, it was glowing. Chow chuckled gleefully.

"Levitation! Sweet!"

While everyone was caught off-guard, DJ Fist came up from behind Chow and gave him a great bear hug. Chow, unsurprisingly, dropped the Talisman upon such contact, and Finn and Ratso were off to a running start to get to the Rooster Talisman. DJ Fist, however, turned around and threw Chow at them, and they all fell to the ground in a tangled heap. Ice had fallen once the Rooster Talisman was dropped. DJ Fist picked up the Rooster Talisman, while Ice picked up the Monkey Talisman. DJ Fist showed Ice that he had the Sheep Talisman and the Rooster Talisman. Ice smirked.

"Oh yeah! We got three Talismans! Uh huh! Now we just need the Ox..."

DJ Fist and Ice turned to the Aides, they were busy untangling themselves. Finn, the first to untangle himself fully, leaped up and ran at Ice who aimed the Monkey Talisman at him, but Finn was quick enough this time and tackled Ice into a wall, and the two of them went through the wall this time. DJ Fist tried using the Rooster Talisman, but it wouldn't work for him. Ratso tackled DJ Fist from behind, which resulted in DJ Fist dropping his two Talismans. Chow ended up picking all three of the Talismans up. Chow turned to Ratso and Finn as they got up and dusted themselves off. Ice was out cold, and DJ Fist was recovering now.

"So... That means we have all four now... Right?"

MC Cobra was up again, and he was running at Chow. And he was twitching.

"Not for looong!"

Chow, upon hearing MC Cobra's voice, stepped to the side as quickly as possible, and MC Cobra went crashing into the wall that was behind Chow. MC Cobra was out cold... again. DJ Fist almost got up, but Finn smacked his head, and DJ Fist was out, too. Chow turned to the squirrel that was trying to get up his leg. It was Jackie. Chow aimed the Monkey Talisman at Jackie.

"Change him back!"

Jackie, still standing as he was before turning into a squirrel, was back again. Jackie rubbed his head and smiled.

"Thanks, Chow. Now we just head home and-"

What made Jackie cease talking was not the Enforcers, rather it was the many Shadowkhan coming out of the shadows that were staring at him with bright red eyes. Chow, Ratso, and Finn noticed them at this point as well, and were backing away nervously. No one, except for the Enforcers who were out cold, knew who they were. Jackie and his Aides only knew that these were the people that took the Enforcers away when they were battling over the Monkey Talisman.

Springing into action, some of the Shadowkhan silently leaped at Jackie and his Aides, while the others threw shuriken at Jackie. Jackie, holding no Talismans ran boldly at the Shadowkhan leaping towards him while dodging the shuriken at the same time. Upon knocking down one Shadowkhan while in midair, four more Shadowkhan encircled Jackie. Jackie was now taken captive by the four Shadowkhan. A fifth Shadowkhan that had been throwing shuriken turned to Chow and held out his hand as if he were asking for something.

Chow knew what they wanted. He just didn't want to give up the Talismans. Sure, he could try to pull something like turning them all into ants, but these guys weren't the Enforcers. These guys looked like pros. Chow wasn't 100% certain about trying something "sneaky."

Finn was aggravated at this point. The battle with the Enforcers had been back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. It was... even. Now these guys in black pajamas showed up, and they expected to be handed the Talismans on a silver platter. Well, he had about it _had it_!

"You want the Talismans...?" Finn motioned at Chow who was still in a predicament over what to do. "Well, you can't have 'em!"

Finn tried to "bust a move," but it ended badly. Finn had run at the group of Shadowkhan holding Mr. Chan; but at the last second, a Shadowkhan had dived in front of him and snatched the Ox Talisman from his belt. Upon reaching the group of Shadowkhan, another group of four Shadowkhan surrounded and held Finn. Finn was surprised, more or less. The Shadowkhan had surrounded him, held him, and turned him around to Ratso and Chow in two seconds flat. But all Finn had to say was...

"Ah nuts..."

He didn't try to persuade Chow to give up the Talismans; he really didn't want the Talismans to fall into the hands of these guys. Finn attempted to break free from the Shadowkhan, but to no avail.

Ratso was silent the whole time. He didn't know what to think, kinda like Chow. Ratso shook his head and his shoulders sagged.

"I guess there's no way to win after all... Maybe we should just give up the Talismans, guys. We can beat 'em to the next one."

Finn looked at Ratso like he had just said that Disco never existed.

"Ratso...! There's gotta be a way to win, there's _gotta_ be! I am _not _going to be the one that tells Unc that we lost _four _Talismans today!"

Finn struggled some more, but the Shadowkhan didn't loosen their grip at all. Not on him. Not on Jackie.

Chow firmly grasped the Rooster Talisman in his right hand. He knew that Finn was right, but he just didn't see a way to win. Chow looked up again at the sound of Ratso's voice.

"Whoa..."

Chow saw what Ratso saw: all the Shadowkhan levitating, while Jackie and Finn were safely on the ground. Chow laughed gleefully.

"Alright! Take this!"

Chow wildly waved the Rooster Talisman about, and, one by one, the Shadowkhan collided with each other, or the walls or the ceiling, and disappeared. The Ox Talisman was laying on the ground not too far away. Finn quickly took it and put it back on his belt. The Ox was still his favorite Talisman, and he didn't care if he was going to get chewed out by Captain Black for taking the Ox Talisman out of the Vault.

The Enforcers got up almost simultaneously. Jackie, Finn, Ratso, and Chow had completely forgotten about them. Strikemaster Ice tackled Chow and pinned him to the ground before the Talismans went flying everywhere. Ice took all three Talismans and sneered at Jackie, Finn, and Ratso who just remembered that the Enforcers were still there.

Ice backflipped and landed between DJ Fist and MC Cobra and tauntingly showed off the three Talismans that they now owned: Sheep, Monkey, and Rooster.

"Yo! The Ice Crew is still in the hizzhooouuussse!"

MC Cobra smirked and gave the "V" for Victory sign.

"And there's nothin' you fools can do to stop us from gettin' away!"

Before Jackie, Finn, and Ratso could even process that taunt, the Shadowkhan reappeared. The Enforcers were pulled into the shadows, and Jackie and his Aides had lost almost all the Talismans...

On a plane back to San Francisco, Jackie turned to his Aides who were sitting across from him and next to him. Finn was next to him, and Chow and Ratso were facing him.

"Are you sure you guys are... okay? It was certainly more of a battle this time around. I'm not saying that the battle over the Monkey Talisman wasn't a battle, but... This is the first time that we've seriously... lost. Your safety is my main concern. Are you _sure _that you don't want to just work for Section 13?"

Finn put a reassuring hand on Jackie's shoulder.

"Mr. Chan, if we weren't sure about this Talisman Hunt... thing... We wouldn't be here right now. We'll be right there by your side through thick and thin. You don't need to worry about our loyalty, or even our health. It's _you _we're concerned about. Sure, you can put up a good fight... But when put up against all those guys in pajamas... well... You'd nearly get killed if you were fighting by yourself. That's why we've all decided to fight by your side, even if it puts us in as much danger. Now... We've still got the Ox Talisman, so it's not a complete loss. I won't steal the Ox Talisman anymore knowing that it could get stolen by those guys in pajamas. So... How about doing some research on 'em before looking for the next Talisman? Waddya say, big guy?"

Chow and Ratso nodded confirming that they agreed with all of Finn's points. Jackie gave a small smile and sighed. He was very, very tired.

"I... suppose Uncle could help shed some light on these ninjas... He's got many, many spell books... And these guys don't exactly seem like your typical ninja... We'll commence research when we get back so that we don't get behind in this "Hunt."

Ratso chuckled and pumped his fist into the air.

"Alright Mr. Chan!" His hand recoiled when it hit the overhead compartment kinda hard. "Ow..."

Chow shook his head and put his right pointer finger to his mouth.

"Shhh! We don't want to wake the other passengers, Ratso!"

Ratso nodded and whispered back a response.

"Sorry..."

The rest of the trip back to San Francisco was in silence...

Meanwhile, the Enforcers were rewarded for retrieving three of the Talismans. Valmont was impressed, but he didn't want to express it too much. Tohru was shocked they actually completed a mission without him, and Shendu seemed... a little less angry than he usually was... that he had a fourth of all of his Talismans in their proper places. The next day, at five in the morning, their celebrating would end...


	4. Snake in the Grass

Ten years ago… `

The brown-shirted explorer wiped the sweat from his face as he carefully transcended the rocky ledge. He had been directed to something very special thanks to a clue that some old man provided him.

A something that was very valuable.

As he shimmied up the ledge, he saw a cave behind the waterfall that fed the river below. He surmised this must be where the special artifact he had been told about must be hidden. He climbed up, and entered the cave. It was very dark, and bats slept above him.

He pulled out a flashlight, and turned it on, careful not to point it in the area where the bats were. He proceeded through the cave, finding his way in the darkness, until he reached a painting of a snake biting its tail.

"So, this must be where the entrance to the Temple of Culebra Gigante is hidden," he mumbled.

He saw a difference in the texture of the rock next to the painting. He wiped his hand over it, and discovered it was a switch. He pushed it in. A slight rumbling, not enough to wake the bats, shook the cave, and then a part of the wall slid down, revealing an entrance to some sort of temple.

He entered through the revealed passageway, and looked around. The Temple of Culebra Gigante was an ancient temple dedicated to snakes. Vines covered the walls and ceiling, and the place was very creepy.

As he gazed, he spotted something in the ceiling of the temple. It was a rock with a picture of a Snake in it.

"That must be what that Teku guy was talking about… Doesn't look as remarkable as he made it out to be, but beggars can't be choosers…"

He reached out toward the vine next to him, and began climbing it. As he went up he realized it wasn't a vine. It was a snake. Panicking, he began swinging from vine to vine quickly, as they were all snakes; he made his way toward the center of the ceiling. He quickly flipped his legs up to hold onto the crevices of the ceiling, and used a tool to get the Talisman out of the center.

Once the artifact was in his hand, the ceiling rumbled. He fell off, and out of a hidden door on the floor slithered a giant snake, apparently angered that he had stolen something it was protecting.

The snake didn't move directly toward the man, but instead moved to make a perimeter about the room. When it slithered, it was like watching a wall moving. The snake was long enough to secure a perimeter, and still have maneuverability.

The man was unsure of how to proceed. Snakes were naturally blind. Yet that didn't make them any less dangerous, particularly this one. Culebra Gigante. A snake this size was remarkable. The man would be lucky enough to leave here alive.

The man took a good, long look at his surroundings. True, this temple-like place was dedicated to snakes, so it would be unlikely for there to be something that could bring harm to Culebra Gigante, at least intentionally, but there had to be SOMETHING he could use to keep the snake at bay, even for just a short time. As he looked up, he could barely make out ancient torches along the walls. The man pulled out a personal lighter and looked at it momentarily. If he could somehow get as many flaming torches as possible, and drive them into the body of the beast, it might be possible to kill, or at least wound, the beast. Though he shuddered at the thought of swinging from snake to snake once more, the alternative would be to be eaten alive by Culebra Gigante.

As soon as he made a move, the man accidentally kicked a small rock, which alerted the beast. The monster opened its maw and bore down on the poor man. But the man was quick enough and nimble enough to reach the lowest dangling snake and swing to the next one, narrowly dodging Culebra Gigante. As the man swung from snake to snake, the snakes hissed in pain at being tugged by the man, some even attempted to bite him. This did not go unnoticed by Culebra Gigante, as it was right behind him all the way. The man swung near enough to a torch, swiped it, and held it under his arm as he swung to the next snake, careful not to let go, as he would fall and be at the mercy of Culebra Gigante.

Seeing the gaping maw that was only feet away from him, the man used his lighter to ignite the torch. The snake heard this, naturally, and was ready for however the man would assault it. Choosing not to get too near it, the man expertly threw the torch like a javelin at the gaping maw. The snake simply closed its mouth as it heard the oncoming projectile. The upper 'lip' of the beast was hardly singed at all, and the torch simply fell to the floor below.

The man was near another hanging torch by this point, so he opted to try the same tactic, hoping that it would be enough. Going through the exact same sequence as last time, the explorer threw another flaming 'javelin'. This time, the snake moved its head slightly, and its body barely got singed. The man was running out of options. There were about eight torches along the wall that were left, but each time that he took the time to grab a torch and ignite it, the snake got ever closer to him. Sooner or later, the snake would catch him and eat him if he kept using the same tactic. So, the man took another good, long look at the room. He noticed a spear that he had not seen on the ground, and it was hanging next to a torch on the other side of the room. Redirecting his course carefully, the man maneuvered over to the spear with Culebra Gigante still too close for comfort.

The man realized something, however. While he could easily directly go for the spear, that left far too much to chance. If he could get Culebra Gigante to wrap itself around the poles that were in place to hold up the ceiling, then he could snag it, because the snake still wished to hold up a perimeter and keep him trapped in this chamber. Not to mention it would give himself enough time to get to the spear and kill the beast while it was uncoiling itself.

The man did this, making sure to go around the four poles many times before making his way over to the spear. It was an arduous task, but eventually the snake could not maneuver around the room any longer. While it attempted to stretch its body to lash out at him, the explorer snagged the spear and plotted a course to do the beast in. Each snake he swung on snapped their much smaller jaws at him, and his arms were very tired from all the exercise, but it would be worth it to finally end it.

After fighting the snake and its 'family' for long enough, the explorer stabbed Culebra Gigante through the head, killing it. With the snake now dead, its whole elongated body fell carelessly to the ground below, making a deafening crash. The man swung downward and heaved a sigh of relief as he dusted himself off.

He flipped the Talisman in the air as he said, "What a ride. No one needs to know where I got this thing. That would make me look crazy."

He left through the exposed door that the giant snake came through, and departed the Temple.

Present Day –

Rumors of a Temple honoring Snakes had been floating around in San Francisco for the last couple of years. But nothing truly concrete ever came up, they were just rumors. Since Jackie and Section 13 were on the hunt for twelve mystical Talismans, each depicting an animal of the Chinese Zodiac, this Snake Temple, housing Culebra Gigante, was a good place to start looking for the Snake Talisman.

Of course, the Dark Hand had heard the rumors as well. Shendu confirmed that the Snake Talisman had activated, but he was unable to pinpoint the Talisman's current location. He was enraged with this, naturally, but he could give the Enforcers the Talisman's 'original' location. The Dark Hand hoped to find the Snake Talisman still there. And if it wasn't, hoped that there would be a clue as to its current whereabouts. The Chans researched the rumors floating around, and discovered that the Temple was located somewhere in the Amazon Rain Forest. Using Section 13's resources, they found the Temple. Both sides rushed to the location, but it was the Dark Hand that had gotten there first, and had discovered the Talisman was no longer there. When the Chans arrived and noticed that the Dark Hand's transportation was already outside, Jackie had his aides wait outside with Jade, who had come along even after repeated warnings from both her Uncles NOT to go. Needless to say, Chan was ambushed, and he was taken hostage to secure the Ox Talisman. They would let Chan go after securing the Ox, and let him figure out where the Snake Talisman was, then take it from him whenever he got it. It was an ingenious plan, or so the Ice Crew thought.

DJ Fist and MC Cobra managed to drag Chan to the entrance of the temple. Unfortunately, they were dragging Jackie a little too close to the wall, and there happened to be a spear hanging on the wall near the entrance. Expertly using his feet, Jackie grabbed the spear, rotated it so the sharp end was between his feet, and conked DJ Fist on the head. Hard. DJ Fist ended up letting Jackie go to rub his aching skull. With DJ Fist momentarily distracted, Jackie punched MC Cobra in the stomach and kicked him into a wall. While the two of them were recovering, Jackie manhandled them both and made them smack into each other. Their heads connected, and DJ Fist and MC Cobra crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Ice, merely steps away from Chan, finally registered what was happening and leaped into the air, foot out in front of him. Jackie caught Ice's flying foot, spun around, and sent Ice flying into the wall opposite from the wall that MC Cobra had hit. Ice was dazed, but he managed to get up still. However, he hadn't noticed the shield that had been above his head as he collided with the wall. With the force of Ice's impact with the wall, the shield became loose and fell down hard on Ice's skull. Ice crumpled to the ground much like DJ Fist and MC Cobra, and he, too, was unconscious now.

Jackie wiped the sweat off his face as he saw that all the Enforcers were now out cold, and walked once again into the temple of Culebra Gigante.

As he entered the 'treasure' chamber, he was shocked to find the bones of Culebra Gigante lying on the ground. As he looked up, he saw that the Snake Talisman was not in its slot in the ceiling.

"Wha? Where did it go?" he went.

"Hey, Mr. Chan!" said Finn casually as he, Ratso, Chow, and Jade walked into the 'treasure' chamber, having walked past the unconscious bodies of the Ice Crew.

"The Talisman is not here. Someone must have gotten here before us."

Jade commented, "Yeah, long before us, seeing that Senor Gigante is natural history museum material now," as she saw the bones of the giant snake.

Looking around, Jackie spotted a small piece of paper on the ground. He walked over to it, and picked it up.

"So, what do you think, Mr. Chan?" asked Chow.

Jackie turned, and said, "Looks like we are going to New York. This is a business card from someone who lives in New York. They probably handed the Talisman over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, if they didn't discover the Talisman's power. I have a hunch it's still there."

"Ooh, from one jungle to another." said Jade.

As the Chan Clan exited the Temple, Ice, who had regained consciousness, shakily removed the big shield off his body and looked over to his comrades, who too were regaining consciousness now. They looked up at him, and he said, "Let's follow those fools. They may lead us to the prize."

- At the Metropolitan Museum of Art -

The plane ride to New York City took a few hours, but the Chan Clan finally arrived. Wasting no time, the Chans made their way to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Of course, the Enforcers were behind them all the way, but they were sneaky about it. Ice opted to not enter the Museum, in case they were spotted by Chan. So they staked out on a roof overlooking the Museum in the meantime, just waiting for Chan to emerge again. If Chan was successful in convincing the Museum to hand the Talisman over, they would ambush him. If he wasn't, they'd prepare for a heist after carefully studying the layout of the Museum.

Inside the Museum, Jackie had located the Curator while his aides showed Jade around the Museum to keep her busy. He wasted no time in pleading his case. Of course, as soon as Jackie said the 'M' word, the Curator took him less seriously.

"You must listen to me, Mr. Curator. The Talisman is not safe here. The Dark Hand will be here soon, and they WILL steal it," warned Jackie.

The Curator replied, "We appreciate the concern, Mr. Chan. But the Talisman is perfectly safe here. If it is guarded by the same security system that protects the world famous Pink Puma, then no Dark Hand or anyone else can take it from the museum." He looked back at the Snake Talisman, which was inside a sealed case with lasers pointing at it and forming an X.

Jackie tried to convince the Curator further.

"But-"

The Curator waved him off with his hand, and said, "Do not concern yourself with the artifact. It is not going to vanish."

Jackie frowned, and looked back at the Talisman, before the Curator escorted him out.

Five minutes later, three figures dressed in black overcoats, hats, and sunglasses entered the Museum and found the Snake Talisman Exhibit. One of them took off his sunglasses, revealing Strikemaster Ice.

"That old dawg thinks these security systems can actually stop us?"

DJ Fist added, "Formal guy doesn't get it. We can crack anything!"

Ice turned, and said, "We better call V-Man."

Ice pulled out a cell phone, and pressed a speed-dial button, before putting it up to his ear.

-At the Dark Hand Headquarters -

Valmont's cell phone rang. Obviously, Ice, DJ Fist and MC Cobra had made some progress on their search for the Snake Talisman.

"All right. I am sending Tohru to assist you in New York. You hit the Museum at midnight." Valmont proceeded to hang up the phone.

"So they found the new location of the Snake Talisman?" hissed Shendu.

Valmont turned toward the stone dragon, and answered, "It is in a museum. They are preparing to hit it."

Shendu then said, "Make sure they bring it back this time. I was not happy when you informed me the Talisman was not in the Temple of Culebra Gigante."

Valmont replied, "We were all late to the party there. This time, we will crash it." He picked up the phone again, and dialed in a number. "Tohru. Go to New York and meet my Enforcers there. They will need your muscle." He hung up the phone.

-At the Plaza Hotel -

Jackie was strutting in the hotel room he and Jade were in. It was Thanksgiving break, and he had promised Jade that he would take her to the Thanksgiving Day parade, which was tomorrow morning.

"But Jackiiie, you said you were going to take me to the parade tomorrow," whined Jade.

"I am sorry, Jade, but I need to get the Talisman this time. The Dark Hand already has three, and I can't let them get any more. If the curator will not give me the Talisman, then I will have to take it myself."

Jade jumped up off of the bed, and said, "You're going to steal it from there? Cool! Never mind the parade, I want to-"

Jackie stopped her before she could finish, a serious look on his face, and scolded her.

"Cool! I am going to break the law just to get a Talisman! How is that cool?"

Jade retorted, "But you get to sneak around and-" Jackie interrupted her again with a wave of his hand, and pulled out a phone.

"Finn? I need you and the others to watch Jade tonight. I don't want anything happening to her."

Jackie clicked the phone shut, and said, "Listen, Jade. If you stay here with my Aides and be good, I promise to take you to the parade tomorrow. Deal?" He held out his hand.

Jade frowned, and said, "Deal," in a low voice as she shook his hand.

Jackie packed up his thievery equipment.

At midnight, three 'groups' converged on the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Jackie was the first to get there, and he decided to break in via the roof. On the other end of the roof, a second, more petite thief arrived soon after Jackie had and was working her way into the Museum below as well. More or less, Jackie and the female thief succeeded and got into the Museum. Up on the same roof that they had been on earlier that day, the Enforcers and Tohru overlooked the Museum and witnessed Chan and Viper break into the Museum without raising the alarms.

Ice knowingly smirked. This would be a breeze, easier than he thought it would be, anyway. He turned to Cobra, Fist and Tohru.

"… We're gonna let them do all the hard work for us, peeps. Everything in that place is valuable, so whatever that second thief's after is gonna earn a pretty penny for V-Man. We'll tail that thief back to their crib, nab their prize, and take 'em hostage. Then, we'll contact J-Dawg and force him to give us the Snake Talisman. Pure, plain and simple. He won't have any room to woop on us, and we'll score twice as much stuff for V-Man! Not to mention we'll be in a position to bring J-Dawg in for a long overdue appointment with V-Man!"

Cobra, Fist, and Tohru all nodded in agreement and smirked at the plan. Nothing could go wrong.

… Or not. Jackie and Viper got past most of the security leading to their respective object of desire. Viper got past all of the security leading to hers without triggering the alarm, but Jackie messed up and accidentally ran his pinky through a security laser guarding the Snake Talisman. Having now messed up, Jackie stuffed the Snake Talisman into the bag he was carrying, and made a break for it.

Both Jackie and Viper made a dash for the backdoor of the Museum and crashed into each other by accident. Both of the bags were dropped at their feet.

"Oh, I am so sorry! I did not mean to-" Jackie started but didn't get to finish as Viper hissed at him.

"I don't have time for this! I managed to purloin the Pink Puma, so why couldn't you purloin… whatever it is you were here for! I, Viper, have not been caught once, and I don't intend to break my record tonight! Out of my way!"

Viper shoved Jackie out of the way and ran out the backdoor. Jackie blinked in astonishment and then proceeded to make his exit as well. Jackie made his way back to the hotel with 'his' bag, and Viper went back to her apartment with 'hers'. Viper was unaware she was being tailed…

- At Compton Castles -

Viper entered her penthouse apartment. The robbery, despite one setback, was still a success. It took months of planning, but she did it. She cracked the Met's security, and snatched the Pink Puma, without being caught by the authorities. She could care less about that other lousy thief who very nearly loused up her whole operation.

After entering her apartment, Viper walked over and sat down on the yellow couch. Once down, she opened her bag to gaze at her prize. But once she looked in the bag, the Puma wasn't in there. A rock with a snake on it was there instead.

She took it out of the bag, and said, "What the heck is this? This is not what I stole."

Just then, the doors to her apartment were busted down by a large Japanese sumo. He stared at Viper with clearly malicious intent, and said, "The Talisman."

Viper knew right away he was bad news. She answered back, "Sorry, Fat Man, I got this fair and square, even if I didn't want it."

She leapt off of the couch, and aimed her foot at him, ready to kick him down.

Tohru didn't even flinch. He put out his giant hand, and caught her foot in it, turning her upside down and causing her to drop the Talisman on the floor.

"Nice try, broad. But you can't beat sumo man here," mocked Ice, as he picked up the Talisman with his crew standing behind him.

- At the Plaza Hotel -

While all this was happening, Jackie finally got back to the hotel. He breathed a sigh of relief as he made it to the door of his hotel room. It was a long night, but it was over. He had finally collected the Snake Talisman. As he opened the door to his hotel room, Ratso, who was in there along with Jade, Finn, and Chow, immediately ran over to him, panic written across his face.

"Boss! The Dark Hand is on the phone! They are holding someone hostage!"

Jackie went, "Wha!" and ran over to the hotel room phone, which Chow had in his hand. He took it up, and answered, "What do you want?"

In an abandoned section of the New York Subway, Ice held his cell phone up to his ear and smirked triumphantly. He hadn't expected this turnout at all, but that didn't mean he was displeased.

"We want the Pink Puma, Chan. Your little lady friend we have here talked about this gem, and it is worth a lot of moolah. You bring us the Puma, or we put the hit on Miss Snake." threatened Ice.

Viper, who was tied up and being held by Tohru, yelled, "My name is Viper!"

Jackie began to sweat. Ice's words didn't make sense, yet he had this sinking feeling…

"The Pink Puma! I thought she took it with her?" replied a confused Jackie. At that instant, he decided to open the bag he had. He went, "Wha!" as he saw that he had the Pink Puma instead of the Snake Talisman. That meant one thing…

The Dark Hand had yet another Talisman in their hands!

Thinking quickly, Jackie realized that agreeing to their demands was the only way to get the Talisman back, as well as save the super thief's life.

He sighed in resignation, and then said, "Where do I meet you?"

- At the Section of the Subway -

Jackie was at the abandoned section of the Subway that the Dark Hand had specified in just over ten minutes. Jackie walked along the side of the old train tracks as he searched for the Dark Hand. He brought the Puma with him, having come to trade it for Viper. As he continued walking, he saw Ice, Fist, Cobra, and Tohru standing at the end of the platform, with Viper in tow.

Jackie ran over to the group, and said, "Release her."

Ice responded, "Give me the Puma first, then we let her go."

Jackie handed over the bag containing the Pink Puma. Ice opened the bag, saw the gem in there, and smiled.

Jackie then demanded, "Now let her go."

Ice smirked, and answered, "I changed my mind. You both are coming with us to see Valmont. He will deal with you personally."

At that point, Ice got hit by something. He dropped the bag, and turned to see that Jackie's aides had thrown a saucer from the hotel room at his hands.

"What? I told you to come alone, Chan!" screamed Ice.

"You also told me we would be trading the Pink Puma for Viper," Jackie retorted.

Ice narrowed his eyes at Chan and turned to Tohru who was now holding the tied-up Viper in his big arms.

"… Kill her."

Right before Tohru was going to put the squeeze on Viper, Viper managed to leap up a little and jump down on Tohru's right foot. Hard. Despite Tohru's size and Viper being pretty light, the pounce still hurt like heck. Tohru instantly let her go and clutched his foot in agony. Chow, with a knife from the hotel, was right behind Viper after she hopped away from Tohru a fair distance, and he had her out of the ropes in no time.

Ice couldn't take anymore of this. He flung the bag with the Pink Puma in it at MC Cobra, who had the Snake Talisman in his hand. Cobra stuffed the Talisman in with the Puma and sealed the bag back up. Ice turned back to Chan and launched himself at Chan. Jackie wasn't quite ready for the immediacy of the assault, so he was tackled to the ground.

Tohru had recovered by this point and had started charging at Viper. Viper did a backflip and sprung forward after landing on her hands. Her foot made contact with Tohru's skull, and the giant was sent reeling back into an abandoned train car, making huge dents all the while crashing into it.

DJ Fist, who had been passive up until this point, found himself surrounded by all three of the aides. The three Aides didn't wait to spring at Fist and tackle him to the ground. Meanwhile, MC Cobra found himself dealing with Jade, who was taunting him. He ended up chasing her after she snatched the bag with the Puma and the Talisman in it.

Jackie eventually got Ice off of him, and now both he and Ice were standing up straight, evaluating what the other was about to do. Jackie smirked and leapt back a little as Viper ran between them. Ice didn't get it until it was too late: Tohru had been chasing her, and Ice was practically run over as he was in the Japanese sumo's way. Apparently, they should've chosen a more open location, but it was too late for that now.

DJ Fist finally got away from the three Aides, but he soon turned around and attempted to lash out at them. Ratso caught his fist, Chow hugged both of his legs, and Finn kicked DJ Fist in the chest and sent him reeling back into a wall. Fist's head made contact with the wall first, and Fist collapsed to the ground. He wasn't unconscious yet, but he wished he was.

MC Cobra, after chasing Jade around for five minutes, finally caught up to her and had her cornered. He gasped, out of breath, and held out his hand commandingly.

"G-Gimme… that… you… brat…"

Viper slowed down as she ran up to MC Cobra. Tohru nearly got her, but she moved out of the way just in time, and Tohru ended up tackling MC Cobra into a wall. Ice, who was still recovering from being trampled by the Japanese sumo, realized that Tohru was being used against them. He dashed over to Jade, who had barely registered the fact before Ice snatched the bag from her.

Ice then ran over to the tunnel that had led to the abandoned area and waved his right arm which held the bag frantically.

"LET'S GO! No more foolin' around! RETREAT!"

Jackie attempted to stop them, but Tohru came barreling down on him, and trampled him much like he did Ice. Except this time, Tohru made sure to dish out as much pain as possible as he hopped up and down on Chan's legs. A 'Crack!' could be heard as this was done.

Ice ran through the tunnel, followed by DJ Fist, and then Tohru, who held an unconscious MC Cobra in his arms. As the Enforcers beat a hasty retreat with the bag, Jackie moaned, and his aides came to his side.

"Ooow… My legs…"

Ratso checked Mr. Chan's legs out and came to a conclusion.

"… Yep. They're broke. You're gonna hafta see a doctor, and soon."

Jackie sighed at the news. Chow and Finn helped him up, and Jackie looked down dejectedly. He felt even more terrible about something else.

"I did it again. I just can't keep up with these guys."

"Oh, Uncle Jackie." said a familiar voice.

Jackie and his aides turned, and saw Jade holding a bag in her hand.

"I pulled the old switcheroo on them. They won't notice that their bag contains lumps of coal until they are too far gone." Jade snickered as she opened the bag, revealing the Snake Talisman AND the Pink Puma.

Viper took that as her cue. She ran over, pulled the gem out of the bag, said a quick, "Thanks, kid!" and ran off.

"Hey, wait! You need to return that thing," shouted Jackie. He was about to run after her, or at least TRY, when Chow stopped him.

"You're in no state to be doing any running, Mr. Chan. Besides…We got the Talisman. That's the important thing right now. Let's get out of here before the cops show up or the Dark Hand realizes the ruse and comes back."

Jackie nodded, and they all left the subway.

**Sorry this took so long guys! I was in the middle of my senior year of high school when I began writing for JCA, and since that time I've been busy… 2011 has been by no means a 'super fun' year for me. A lot's happened in my life in this one year. I had time to write like half the time between last October and now, but in that time I had major, major writer's block. I wrote what I could, but I had major issues with writing this Chapter that had been next. Hopefully you'll notice this update is longer than the last three Chapters, and that it's of a better quality. Hopefully. I can still improve, I know, but I also know that with the help of a new co-author, Jamey Gamer, to this story I'll be able to keep updates coming. This Chapter you just read was a joint effort, I couldn't have gotten this update to you this 'quickly' if it weren't for him. And now that me and him are co-authors of this story, you'll hopefully be seeing a couple of more updates before this year ends. I know that I kept you waiting, and for that, I apologize. College might be around the corner for me, and updates might not be so frequent. But rest assured that, in my free time, I'll do all that I can to continue this story. It's been a hard 12-13 months of writing, but now I believe I have the help I believe I needed all along…**

**Until the next update! ~Yaxon **


	5. A Horse and His Boy

A star streaked across the cloudless night sky. The moon was out, and it was almost 'half full' tonight. The time was 11:17 PM.

Inside a lodge on top of a mountain, a fire was brewing inside the fireplace. There was no electricity inside the lodge, so the fire was the only source of light during this time. Other than the sound of a ticking grandfather clock, the place was unnaturally quiet. A man wearing a black cape sat in a stuffed, purple chair; he was tapping his pointer finger impatiently on the right armrest. As expected, the phone rang at precisely 11:20 PM, and the man in the black cape picked the phone up beside him immediately after the first ring. The person on the other end was the first, and the only one, to speak up during the whole conversation. If one were in the lodge at the time of the call, they would swear that they heard a voice in their head.

"… So, did you get the package?"

"…"

"You… do know what to do… right?"

"…"

"I know, I know. You don't need to be told twice, but it's very important that they get the package."

"…"

"How should I know? Our task is not to question, but to do. The Master is certain that the package you received will go off next, and neither side must know of… us. Not yet. I did my part and directed that foolish explorer to the lair of Culebra Gigante ten years ago, and I made sure that he had a fighting chance. Ten years later, the side of 'Good' retrieved my package. It wasn't easy, but they did it. Now it's your turn. You don't even have to BE THERE when both sides get there. Just make sure to leave the package in plain sight."

"…"

"I know. I don't like giving these things away, either. But apparently, we have to. We'll get our chance to gather these things later, or so the Master claims. But for right now, we are just to play the part of the observer. Let the two 'sides' play the never ending battle of 'Good' and 'Evil' and find out their strengths and weaknesses. I need not remind you that the others are playing their parts perfectly. This is your first time to even come close to entering the fray. Don't mess this up."

"…"

The man on the other end of the phone ended the call, and the man wearing the black cape put the phone back in its receiver. The man pulled out a 'trinket' from his pocket. It was a rock with the image of a Horse on it. The Horse Talisman. That was the 'package' and the man in the black cape intended to deliver it…

- At Section 13 -

It was another beautiful day in San Francisco. There wasn't a cloud in sight in the morning sky, and the sun was fully showing in all its glory now. A week had passed since the incident with the Snake Talisman, and the Snake and Ox Talismans were safely locked away in the Vault in Section 13. Jackie remained injured, but both his legs were now healing, albeit slowly.

Captain Black offered to go in Jackie's stead, should any Talismans pop up on the radar. While Captain Black remained skeptical about the 'magical' Talismans, it was Section 13's job to bring the Dark Hand in. And if he could bring the Enforcers into his custody, he'd be able to locate the Dark Hand's headquarters. Tohru would be a horse of a different story, of course, so Captain Black hoped he wouldn't have to tango with the big brute on the next Talisman excursion. Of course, to go on anymore Talisman excursions, they would have to know when a Talisman 'activated'.

Uncle finally 'perfected' a Talisman-seeking spell that would alert him and Section 13 whenever a Talisman activated. It wasn't easy, not to mention untested. However, he was about to find out if it worked or not, because the Horse Talisman was about to activate…

- At the Dark Hand Headquarters -

"VAAALMOOONT!" Shendu hissed. Valmont and his Enforcers came charging into the room as soon as they heard the stone dragon bellow.

"Wh-What is it, Shendu…?" Valmont inquired. Shendu had every right to be furious with them. After all, the Enforcers and Tohru had come back empty-handed last week. Or 'coal-handed', to be precise. The Enforcers had their pay docked as punishment, of course, but that didn't mean Shendu was appeased. Shendu wanted his Talismans, and he WOULD get them, with or without Valmont's 'assistance'.

"Another Talisman has activated. The Horse Talisman activated in the Caucasian Mountains, atop Mt. Elbrus. I want that Talisman brought to me. Failure will not be tolerated."

Valmont nodded weakly. He pulled out his phone and dialed Tohru immediately. Of course, Valmont was surprised to hear a female voice instead of Tohru's.

"Hello?"

Valmont began to sweat and pulled at his shirt collar.

"A-Ah… Mrs. Tohru's… mother. I was just calling Tohru to let him know that he is needed at… work… right now. Can you put him on the phone, please…?"

Tohru's mother sighed on the other end.

"I am sorry, but my baby will have to call in sick today… He is too sick to work. If I recall correctly, my baby has never missed a day of work, so will it be alright with you if he stays home today…?"

Valmont gulped. If he said no, even though he SHOULD because getting this Talisman was vital, he would regret it. Tohru's mother was a woman to be feared. If Tohru's mother wanted to take care of her 'baby boy', then there was no stopping her. He had no choice but to leave everything to his Enforcers.

"Y-Yes… That would b-be… fine… T-Tohru will still get paid for today, n-no worries… Ehe…"

Valmont could practically see the woman beam, even though this was just a phone call.

"Good! I will do my best to make sure my baby comes into work tomorrow. Goodbye, Mr. Valmont!"

The phone clicked on the other end. Now all Valmont could hear was the phone buzzing, indicating the call ended. Valmont clicked his own phone shut and turned to his Enforcers wearily.

"… Don't mess this up… I know Chan is still disabled, but I would hate for you to come back empty-handed… again… In fact, you're not allowed to come back until you procure the Talisman… Is that understood…?"

Ice nodded meekly. Valmont had every reason to be this way. Tohru was home sick, and it was up to them to secure the Talisman. If Valmont had tried to force Tohru to come into work, Tohru's mom would've whooped them all. If they failed without Tohru, they'd risk another pay dock and Shendu's wrath. They were already on Shendu's naughty list for not securing the Ox and the Snake, so they couldn't afford to louse this up.

"U-Understood, V-man. B-Be back in n-no time…"

- At Section 13 -

Meanwhile, the alarms were going off in Section 13. Apparently, Uncle's location spell worked like a charm. While Captain Black wasn't too keen on letting Uncle use the 'Code Red' Alarms willy-nilly, he had to admit it was certainly one way of alerting everyone at once. … Even the people who WOULDN'T be going to retrieve the Horse Talisman. After clearing up the confusion and debriefing the whole of Section 13, everyone but Jackie's aides, Uncle, Jade, and Captain Black returned to their posts. Jackie had been in bed when the alarms went off and had attempted to get into his wheelchair to find out what was going on, but Captain Black ordered Jackie to just relax and let him take care of everything. Jackie was reluctant to do so, but even he had to admit he was useless as a cripple.

Uncle quickly, and 'tersely', briefed Captain Black and the aides on where the Horse Talisman was. There were plenty of 'One MORE thing!' exclamations, but everyone was used to that by now, even though they all attempted to leave each and every time Uncle stopped to breathe. Eventually, they got through the briefing and were on their way to Mt. Elbrus…

- Atop Mt. Elbrus -

Due to Uncle's long-winded debriefing, the aides and Captain Black were 'late' to the party. The Ice Crew got there a few minutes prior to the Chans' arrival, and had already entered the lodge in search of the Horse Talisman.

MC Cobra was staked at the window to be on the lookout for Chan or his 'underlings'. So naturally he panicked when Captain Black and Jackie's aides arrived in a jet right outside the lodge. He turned around worriedly and gesticulated wildly, pointing out the window and waving his arms up and down as he spoke.

"We don't have much time, guys! The party crashers are here! Chan's not with his 'pals', but CB's with 'em!"

Ice groaned at the news. This was supposed to be a quick 'search, locate, and amscray'-type deal, but nooo. The feds just HAD to show up. Searching as quickly as humanly possible, Ice looked over every nook and cranny, but couldn't find the Horse Talisman. In the end, it was DJ Fist that found the Talisman.

"Up there!"

Ice followed Fist's pointer finger and saw the Talisman hanging precariously above the fireplace. Why Ice hadn't seen it as they walked in was beyond him, but the important thing was that they found it. Valmont would be pleased.

Their celebration was short-lived, however, as Captain Black busted the door down. MC Cobra had bolted the door shut and put a chair against it to give his buddies some extra time to search. Ice snatched the Horse Talisman and raced for the backdoor of the lodge. Captain Black was faster, and was on top of Ice in seconds. Grasping Ice's wrist tightly and twisting it, Ice was forced to drop the Horse Talisman, which rolled into the center of the main room of the lodge. Ice ripped his arm away from Captain Black, spun around, and dropkicked Captain Black in the chest. Captain Black clutched his chest in agony and knelt on one knee.

DJ Fist and MC Cobra leaped for the Talisman, but were tackled by Ratso and Finn respectively. Chow walked to the center and picked the Talisman up. He flipped it in the air like a coin and smirked. Ice charged at him, but stopped mid-charge because Captain Black had lunged at Ice's legs and held on tight. Ice came crashing down, and Chow made his way to the front door.

DJ Fist recovered from being tackled by Ratso and charged at Chow. Not expecting the big lug, Chow was tackled, and the Talisman was sent flying out the door. Ice and MC Cobra witnessed this and instantly became panicked. They both got away from Captain Black and Finn. Once outside, Ice and MC Cobra saw a gray object rolling down the mountain. Ice groaned, pulled out a remote, and pressed a button. Three snow vehicles ejected from the jet they flew to the mountain on, and Ice and MC Cobra hopped onto two of them. DJ Fist came running out of the lodge, saw his teammates go charging down the mountain in their vehicles, and proceeded to hop onto his. By the time the aides and Captain Black came staggering out of the lodge, the Enforcers were a ways down the mountain.

"We'll never catch up to them now… They might not even come back for their jet!" Finn complained. Ratso and Chow nodded in agreement beside him. Captain Black frowned.

"Well… We'll… cut them… off…?"

Suddenly Captain Black felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, and came face to face with none other than Jade.

"They fell for another trick by the Amazing Jade!"

Jade showed off the Horse Talisman proudly and Captain Black, Finn, Ratso, and Chow were stunned. Captain Black was the first to find his voice.

"But… how…?"

Jade held up the Snake Talisman.

"Turns out this thing makes people invisible! I tailed you guys, 'cause I knew you'd need MY help… And… well… I waited outside in case those Enforcers made off with the Talisman. Lucky for us, the Talisman landed out here in the middle of the brawl, and I saved it before it fell down the mountain! By the time they realize they've been chasing a pebble, we'll be long gone!"

Jade beamed and Captain Black couldn't help but smirk as he ruffled her hair.

"… Nice going, kid. Come on, we'd better get you home. Your Uncle Jackie must be worried sick…"

Captain Black, the aides, and Jade all piled into the Section 13 jet and took off. Meanwhile, the Ice Crew finally caught up to the pebble and realized their folly. Ice crushed the pebble in his fist.

"GRAH! Not cool! Bet it was that punk kid… again… She's messed with us two times too many… Now it's personal…"

Ice growled and kicked some snow into the air angrily. MC Cobra nervously looked at his leader as he posed the obvious question.

"W-Well… What now, boss? I mean, we don't even know where to start looking for Section 13…"

Ice smirked. Once again, he had a brilliant idea.

"… I'll tell ya what we're gonna do… We might not have a direct lead to Section 13… But… The brat's still a kid, right? We know the Chans live in San Francisco. With a little research, we'll be able to find out where the brat is educated.

Ice cackled at the thought of what they were going to do.

"We're goin' back to school!"

- At Jade's School -

The day after the Chans retrieved the Horse Talisman, the Ice Crew returned to San Francisco, researched 'Jade Chan' in all the middle schools locally, and found her school. Ice's plan was to 'pick up' Jade after school… and take her to Valmont. He originally thought he would be able to interrogate Jade, but Cobra reminded him that the kid was spunky and would not tell them where Section 13 was or anything, even IF they threatened her life. The kid was gutsy, but not too smart. ... Or so Ice thought. Tohru, as described by his 'mommy', was still too sick to come to work, so the Enforcers were still on their own.

"So… Let me get this straight. You are Ms. Chan's… cousin… and are here to pick her up early so she can attend a family reunion…?" Jade's teacher, Ms. Hartman, asked Ice inquisitively. Ice, dressed like any normal teenager now, nodded and tried to smile nicely.

"Yeah… Jade wouldn't know about it, though, 'cause it's a surprise. Her parents are in town, and wanted to… er… spend as much time with her as possible. They'll only be here for a few days. They just got here, and wanted me to pick her up. If… ah… You don't believe me, no prob. I'll just… tell 'em Jade's teacher said she couldn't get out early."

Ice was having trouble keeping up the facade of being Jade's 'cousin'. Chan or one of his aides would be there to pick Jade up after school, and this was the only time to kidnap her. Ice and his Crew could just do it the old fashioned way: By force, with guns and everything, but that would attract too much attention. The local police could show up, and they could end up getting Valmont in trouble. So, Ice would TRY to play it 'by the book'.

Ms. Hartman frowned. She hadn't gotten a call from Jade's parents or anything, and Jade's 'cousin' was awfully suspicious. Still, if Jade's parents WERE in town for only a short time, who was she to stand in the way of family time?

The teacher sighed and nodded.

"… Alright. But when Mr. and Mrs. Chan drop her off at school tomorrow, tell them I want to meet with them, to confirm that that's the reason Jade was pulled out of school early today."

Ice beamed. The charade seemed to work.

"Coo'! No prob. I'll tell 'em that."

Ms. Hartman entered the classroom and told Jade that her 'cousin' was there to pick her up. Honoring the 'cousin's' wishes, she kept the 'family reunion' bit a secret from her. Jade was confused to say the least, but exited the classroom with her book bag anyway. When Jade saw Ice after closing the classroom door behind her, her eyes widened and she was about to scream, but DJ Fist, who was behind her, clamped Jade's mouth shut and hoisted her away. MC Cobra and Ice were right behind him as they left the school. They went to their van, got in, tied Jade up, and blindfolded her. Jade struggled to get away, but with the three of them focusing on her and only her, she didn't have a chance. They gagged her so they wouldn't have to put up with any noise, and they were on their merry way…

- At the Dark Hand Headquarters -

Valmont pinched the bridge of his nose as the Enforcers brought Jade Chan in, still gagged and blindfolded, so she couldn't see the inside of the Dark Hand HQ, not to mention Shendu on the wall. He had asked for a Talisman, not a child. He sighed as they explained the situation to him and to Shendu.

"N-Now listen, b-boss," Ice stuttered. "We lost the Talisman, but it was all because of this kid. Dunno how she did it, but she tricked us, and Chan's losers got away with the Talisman. Now, we don't know where Section 13 is, so we thought we'd use her as bait for Chan, 'kay?"

Valmont heaved another sigh and rubbed his chin in contemplation. He narrowed his eyes after thinking for only a moment.

"… And how do you propose we get Chan's attention…? We don't exactly have his number. I'm not about to direct him to our HQ, and I don't think he'd willingly direct us to Section 13. Besides, he'd have to send someone ELSE to make the trade for this… child. And that means you incompetent buffoons would louse up the trade-off. I am satisfied you secured such a… WONDERFUL item to trade for the Talismans, but in case you've forgotten, we don't exactly have muscle to back up our threats on this young girl. Sure, if you want to split hairs, one of you could SHOOT the girl, but I'm sure whoever Chan would send would be strong and nimble enough to take the three of you down before the threat could be carried out. They would have the OX Talisman, after all. Have you small-minded dullards thought this through at ALL?"

The Ice Crew began to grumble now. Valmont shot down Ice's 'brilliant' plan like there was no tomorrow. They could wait for Tohru to recover, but the police would be searching for Jade by that point, not to mention Section 13. And if Section 13 found their HQ, they'd be toast.

Ice snapped his fingers as the 'light bulb' turned on.

"We could leave a ransom note at Chan's place! We've been there before, 'member?"

Valmont harrumphed and crossed his arms.

"I suppose… It's a tad cliché, but it's one way of going about it… You still have to find a way around their overpowering you during the exchange. You were taken down during the Puma exchange, and that was when you had Tohru."

Ice rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, too.

"Yeah, but dat's 'CAUSE we had Tohru, V-man. I still have da bruises to prove it. Dis time, they won't be able to turn us against each other. Also, that punk Jade will be indisposed, 'member? She'll be the hostage this time around, not dat kung fu 'master thief' Viper. We shouldn't have a problem at all if dose losers show up."

Valmont raised an eyebrow and frowned.

"And what of the good Captain Black and his Section 13? What if the aides bring them into this…?"

Ice smirked. He had this thought out now.

"I'll drop off da letter. My homeboys DJ Fist and MC Cobra will take Jade to the drop-off site and wait there. The first sign of trouble, they kill the punk. Simple."

Valmont's frown deepened, but his eyebrow fell.

"… It's risky, Ice. I don't like it. However… I suppose there's no alternative. You've proven that you can't take on Chan at his 'home turf', so to speak. This would be one way to lure Mr. Chan out, or at least his three aides. And this way we wouldn't necessarily have to find Section 13, we would just have to get them to come with the three Talismans they have. However, if you mess up, expect a BIG dock in salary. Am I understood…?"

The Ice Crew saluted Valmont.

"Yes, sir!"

At Jade's School –

While the Dark Hand was discussing how they'd make the trade, Ratso was sent to pick Jade up from school. After not seeing her walk out of school for ten minutes, Ratso turned the car off and went to look for Jade inside the school.

He made his way to Ms. Hartman's room, and caught her in the middle of grading some papers.

"Ah, Mr. Ratso, please, come in. Did Jade forget something…?"

Ratso rubbed the back of his head in confusion.

"Um… No… I don't think so… When did Jade leave, exactly?"

Ms. Hartman looked up again from grading papers and frowned.

"Her cousin Ice came to pick her up to take her to a family reunion with her parents. Did Jade's parents not tell you…?"

Ratso's eyes widened and he took a step back in shock. While he could tell Ms. Hartman the truth, he didn't want to worry her over Jade's wellbeing.

"A-Ah… THAT family reunion… S-Sorry… Must've slipped my mind… Ehe…"

Ms. Hartman continued to frown, but went back to grading the students' papers. Ratso left the room and started to jog back to his car, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

_If Ice 'picked Jade up', then they gotta be using Jade as a ransom to get the Talismans… I gotta get back and warn Mr. Chan and Uncle…_

Ratso started his car and made his way back to Uncle's antique shop ASAP…

- At Uncle's Antique Shop -

"… And that's all I know at this point."

Ratso finished telling Uncle, Finn, and Chow all that he had found out after going to Jade's school. The Dark Hand would no doubt be contacting them soon to meet somewhere to trade Talismans for Jade. Finn rubbed his chin and struck a thoughtful pose.

"We need to contact Captain Black and resolve this quick… We don't want to disappoint Mr. Chan. I mean, we let Jade get kidnapped under our noses. Who knew the Dark Hand would corner Jade at her own school and do it so sneakily…?"

Chow snorted.

"It's that teacher's fault. If she just called us…"

Ratso shook his head.

"No, I'm sure Ice and his goons would have been ready for that. Besides, we wouldn't wanna drag poor Ms. Hartman into this…"

Finn nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, Ratso's got a point. Well, a couple of them actually. Anyway, if we don't contact Captain Black now, he's not going to be in any shape to help resolve this crisis. We got lucky during the last trade-off. We probably won't be so lucky this time around. They'll be ready for trouble."

Uncle had walked away from the three aides at this point and was now in the back room. Chow smirked as he had an idea.

"What if we pull a Jade on 'em? Give 'em three rocks with an Ox, a Snake, and a Horse on 'em. We'd be able to get Jade back and fight those three fair and square."

Finn shook his head and grimaced.

"I'm not so sure that'd work this time around, Chow. They've already been hoodwinked twice. If we try to pull anything funny, they'll probably hurt Jade. We gotta come at this trade-off from another angle…"

There was a rap at the front door of the shop and an envelope slid under the door. Finn walked over, picked it up, and opened it. He grimaced at the ransom note. Finn handed the note to Ratso and Chow and they showed a similar reaction.

_Chans –_

_ By now you've figured out your conniving punk – Jade – is missing. If you want her back, meet up with us at the Docks in exactly one hour. If you're not there with the Ox Talisman, the Snake Talisman, and the Horse Talisman in precisely sixty minutes, we can't vouch for what happens to your little 'precious gift from above'. And if you try to use those Talismans on us or try to pull some other dirty trick… well… let's just say there won't BE a trade. We WANT those Talismans. And if you EVER want to see your precious Jade alive and well again, then we suggest you cooperate. We remember full well what happened the last time we 'traded' with you, and we will not tolerate any shenanigans this time around. Well, ya better hurry. Tick Tock goes the clock._

_ ~ The Dark Hand_

"What are we gonna do…?" Chow moaned. Unless Mr. Chan was INSTANTLY in full working condition again, they stood no chance against the Dark Hand. 

"Ha-Cha!"

The aides turned at the elated voice of Uncle. As soon as they did, Uncle was making his way for the front door.

"Um… Unc? Where ya goin'?" Finn asked clearly confused. But Uncle would not stop and simply motioned for them to follow him.

"Come! Uncle has discovered way of leveling the playing field! Uncle says come NOW! Aiyah!"

The aides followed reluctantly…

At the Docks –

Ice tapped his foot impatiently. Nearly an hour had passed, and Chan's aides had yet to show up. Now he had a decision to make. If they kept the girl, they'd still have a hostage, and a trade would still be possible. If they didn't go through with eliminating her, they would be seen as 'wimps' and villains who didn't keep their word when it came to serious threats. If they DID off her, they risked losing their only bargaining chip. That meant they wouldn't be able to keep Section 13 from coming into this, and the situation could get hairy. Ice could only make a guttural growl as he thought over the conundrum.

While still deep in thought, a copter could be heard descending upon the area. The copter's approach broke through Ice's thoughts, and it seemed like all was not lost. The three aides hopped out of the helicopter and walked over to the Enforcers. Ice held up his hand to show that was as far as they could go, at least for the moment. The helicopter remained in flight, and didn't ascend or descend as the trade-off began to take place.

"Where's the perty rocks, dawg?"

Finn smirked, dug into his pocket, and held the three Talismans between his fingers in his right hand.

"Right here! Where's Jade?"

Ice turned to DJ Fist, who was operating a crane that held the tied-up Jade. DJ Fist maneuvered the crane so Jade hung precariously over the center of the trade-off area. Ice smirked and advanced on Finn.

"Don't try nothin' and your little 'angel' comes out of this unscathed…"

Just as Ice got to Finn, somebody leaped out of the helicopter and landed right on top of Ice. The Ice Crew was caught off guard. MC Cobra, who was the lookout, eventually recognized who the party crasher was, and he was floored. But he didn't stay that way for long.

"KILL HER! KILL HER!" MC Cobra shrieked.

DJ Fist aimed his pistol at Jade and fired, but the bullet ricocheted off the helicopter as it crashed into the crane. DJ Fist lunged out of the control room, and yet another person leaped out of the helicopter, used a knife to slash away the rope connecting Jade to the crane, and, as he and Jade landed, barrel-rolled on the ground away from the exploding helicopter, which set the crane on fire in the pier. Water was splashed in huge waves everywhere.

It turns out that Jackie had landed on top of Ice to distract MC Cobra and DJ Fist long enough for Captain Black to pilot the helicopter and make it crash into the crane and save Jade from certain disaster. It was a risky game that they had been playing, but it seemed to have been worth it.

Ice crawled out from under Chan and made his way to his compatriots on his knees. He jumped up after making it over to them, spun around and pointed accusingly at Jackie.

"HOW THE HECK…?" Ice exclaimed. Chan was supposed to be incapacitated, and everyone else wasn't supposed to be trying anything funny. Yet here they all were, and now the Enforcers were in a losing position.

Jackie could only chuckle at the Enforcers' collective shock and surprise. He hadn't expected this to work, or even happen, either. Yet now the Chans were winning, and it would be okay to elaborate on their plan.

"An hour ago, I was still in my wheelchair. But Uncle discovered that the power of the Horse Talisman was one of healing. After they healed my legs and I got back into shape again, they told me of how they would defuse this 'trade' you were holding over our heads. I didn't think it would work, but it did. So, will you come along quietly…?"

The Ice Crew shook their heads wildly and rushed at the Chans in a last ditch effort to redeem themselves for Valmont and Shendu. But they were beaten back by Captain Black, the aides, and Jackie. Sorely beaten and cornered, Ice looked to the pier. It was their last chance at escaping. Why hadn't they planned for the worst? The plan was flawless, but they should've known by now that the Chans were a force to be reckoned with. Ice and his cronies plunged into the cold waters of the pier and retreated. It was looking like the Chans had won this round.

However, just as the Chans were beginning to relax and tend to Jade, a lone Shadowkhan leaped out of the shadows, crashed into Finn, who was still holding the three Talismans in his right hand, and swiped the three Talismans as they were in the air temporarily. Then the Shadowkhan vanished.

Captain Black smirked after the Shadowkhan had left.

"… Looks like Uncle was right. Glad we chose not to bring the REAL Talismans with us. We were lucky that Uncle could conjure up some nice counterfeits to use in case the whole deal went sour, or something like this came up. If they asked for us to prove that the Talismans were real, we might've been in serious trouble. Luckily, they didn't, and we didn't lose a thing."

Jade hugged her Uncle Jackie tightly as he frowned thoughtfully.

"Yes… Let us hope we can keep this up... We almost lost too much today."

Jackie hugged Jade back, and the five of them made their way back to Section 13…

- At the Dark Hand Headquarters -

The Enforcers sauntered out of the elevator on the top floor; they were completely soaked. Valmont wagged his right pointer finger at them and smirked.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk! I told you to be careful. I just knew this 'deal' would end just as tragically as the last one. … Which is why Shendu and I agreed to send a Shadowkhan to clean up your mess."

And just as Valmont said this, the lone Shadowkhan materialized into the room and put the three 'Talismans' into their proper places. However, as soon as it did, Shendu let out an otherworldly shriek of rage.

"CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

**I have to say, Chapter Five came a lot more naturally than Chapter Four did. I'm glad I could get this update to you this fast, and I hope you enjoyed it. Maybe it wasn't as good as the last one, but know this: Jamey Gamer and I have a lot planned, so, even if this Chapter didn't live up to your expectations, know that you'll miss out if you stop reading after this Chapter. This Chapter raised some questions no doubt, and they WILL be answered, just not in the near future. Until next Chapter!**

** Next Time: Back to the… Past? **


	6. Back to the Past?

**A/N: **_Memory/Thought_; everything else will be normal.

_A black-haired man in a gray suit ran through the streets of Shanghai. It was raining, and there were puddles everywhere. The man didn't have time to avoid the puddles, so he ran through them without worrying about dirtying his suit. Thunder boomed overhead as the man neared his destination. Everything seemed to be particularly gray on this day: The clouds, the buildings, and the roads. Old buildings and new buildings stood tall and alongside each other in Shanghai._

_ The man reached his destination: A Chinese tower, otherwise known as a Pagoda, with a 'family' of roofs and all. He didn't bother to use the knocker, because today was not a day for pleasantries. This was a matter of life or death, and the man hoped that he wasn't too late. The man wasted no time and made his way to the very top. _

_ The many halls and rooms that the man ran through were all empty. That did not come as a surprise, because the Master had retired a few months ago, and was now living in what used to be a place for training in the Magical Arts. Finally, the man ascended the last flight of stairs, opened the gargantuan double doors that led into the Master Chamber at the top, and froze in place. Lying in the middle of the room, motionless, was the Master himself. That was the man's first thought, as the Master was the only one that lived in the Pagoda besides the man himself._

_ The man in the gray suit shook his head fearfully and staggered over to the body. Upon closer inspection, the body appeared to have no physical wounds, but, at the same time, there was no steady falling and rising of the chest, which would indicate breathing. As soon as he got close enough to the body and confirmed it as his old Master, the man sank to his knees. He felt for Master Fong's pulse, but felt nothing. The man began to weep._

_ "M-Master Fong… No…"_

_ The man wept for hours. Thunder still boomed overhead, and lightning flashed more than once outside the window of the Master Chamber. Today was the worst day of the man's life. First, the love of his life was taken from him, and now his Master, Master Fong, was gone – killed by Daolon Wong. The man had nothing now. He had been homeless ever since he was very young, and now the one who had taken him in was dead. The man had nowhere to turn to. His only friend left in the whole world was far away, running an antique shop, and raising a nephew. Not only did the man have no way to get to San Francisco, but the man did not wish to burden his one and only friend left in the world. The man envied his friend. He himself, as far as he knew, had no known family and no home now that Master Fong was murdered. His friend had a big family, and a home, and a business. The man was bitter and furious with the world. _

_ As soon as the man got up to leave, a voice could be heard in his head. _

*** …***

_The man spun in place and looked about fearfully._

_ "W-Who's there?"_

_ The voice chuckled at the man's fear. The chuckle reverberated throughout the Master Chamber; it was clear that the owner of the voice could do more than just communicate in the man's head. The voice went on to answer the man._

***…***

_The man began to hyperventilate and shrieked._

_ "LEAVE ME ALONE!"_

_ Once the man's yell died down, the voice continued. It wasn't perturbed by the shriek at all._

***…***

_The man started to sweat. Whoever this was, the owner of the voice DID seem to know all about him. Craving power was bad enough, but because of Master Fong's death, now he craved revenge. It wasn't right, but the man felt himself losing the will to fight the temptation. _

_ "W-W-What do I do…?"_

_ The voice was smug now. It had the man right where it wanted him. _

** *…***

_When the voice was finished speaking,__the man felt numb after hearing the details of what he needed to do. He was amazed at the plan. Stunned. If there were any alternative, the man would go for them. Yet there didn't appear to be one, other than being homeless the rest of his life, of course. Seeing that he had nothing left to lose, the man made a pact with the voice that day._

_ "… I accept."_

The man in the gray suit awoke in a cold sweat in his bed. That was very different from how he remembered the event… almost like… almost like it was from another version of reality. The man got up and took his cell phone out of its charger. The man made a call…

- At the Galapagos Islands -

"Can't you work any faster, Fist? C'mon!" Ice screeched. The Enforcers got to the latest Talisman first once again, and there was no telling when the Chans would show up. DJ Fist was in the process of forcibly removing the Rabbit Talisman from the tortoise with an array of tools, while Tohru, MC Cobra, and Ice were on the lookout for the Chans. Needless to say, DJ Fist was having limited success at removing the Talisman from the tortoise's back.

Tohru sighed and made his way over to Fist and the tortoise. Without using a tool, Tohru yanked at the Talisman with all his might. It was tough, and he fell over backwards, but Tohru did manage to yank the Talisman out. Tohru stood up, dusted himself off, and flipped the Talisman into the air.

"… Done." Tohru grunted.

Just as he flipped the Talisman into the air a second time, a projectile was fired and the projectile knocked the Talisman away from Tohru and into the hands of Jackie. Jackie waved nervously and backed away slowly.

"Heh… heh… um… Thank you? Have a nice day?"

Tohru narrowed his eyes at Jackie.

"CHAN!"

Tohru raised both his arms and swung at Chan. Of course, Jackie sidestepped Tohru, and Tohru ended up tripping over a big rock that jutted out from under the sand and came crashing down. Tohru had missed Jackie completely, and now he was groaning from the fall. Meanwhile, the Ice Crew had turned their attention to the one who had fired the projectile, and it was none other than Jade with a sling shot. Jade copied Jackie's nervous wave and grinned.

"H-Hiya!"

The Ice Crew growled in unison and advanced on her. Ice spat the nickname he had for her.

"Brat…"

Before they got too far, a palm tree, which was bent back and angled just so that it would knock the three Enforcers away, was released and the Enforcers were sent flying into the outgoing tide. Ice shook his fist angrily as he attempted to swim back to shore with his cronies. Jade turned to Finn, gave him a high five, and shouted excitedly, "They fell for it!"

After recovering from his crash-landing, Tohru stood up and shook his head to re-orient himself. He noticed that the Enforcers were swimming back to join the fight… and he also noticed Chan's fist coming at his face really fast. Needless to say, Tohru didn't register that quickly enough, and Tohru was knocked backwards. Now Tohru was on his back and disoriented. Again.

Now Ice and his boys were tired of failing Valmont. So Valmont agreed to send some 'extra help' in the form of some older henchmen. There was about ten of them, not including the Ice Crew and Tohru. Without thinking, Jackie activated the Rabbit Talisman in his clenched left fist, and he was speeding all around the henchmen. Jackie finally realized it was the Talisman that was making him do it, and that he could use it to his advantage. Manhandling each and every goon, Jackie beat them senseless and threw their unconscious forms on top of Tohru, who was still seeing stars. The Ice Crew eventually reached the shore once more, but was spotted by Jackie, and was beaten senseless as well. With all the Dark Hand minions in a neat pile on top of Tohru, Jackie stopped moving about so fast and wiped beads of sweat from his brow.

Jade jumped up and down excitedly and rushed over to Jackie, begging to try out the Rabbit Talisman.

"PLLLEEEAAASSSEEE, Uncle Jackie?"

Jackie shook his head and wagged his right pointer finger.

"No, Jade… Talismans are not toys. We need to get back to Section 13 and make sure the Dark Hand doesn't get this Talisman. We got off easy today because it has such an extraordinary power…"

"CHAAAAAAAAAAN!"

Tohru bellowed underneath all his fallen comrades. Jackie sweatdropped and motioned for everyone to pile into the Section 13 jet.

"And… that would be our cue to get out of here…"

- At the Dark Hand Headquarters -

Valmont was seething. His Enforcers had come back empty-handed once again, and what was even worse was that there had been fourteen men total, including Tohru, and they STILL failed to retrieve a Talisman. How did they retrieve three Talismans, and then just fail to get the rest? The Dark Hand had agreed to meet in private, away from Shendu's 'all-seeing' eyes, should the Enforcers ever come back empty-handed again. There was no need to enrage Shendu further when clearly he was enraged enough already. If Shendu would allow the Enforcers to use the Talismans that they had acquired, the Rooster and the Monkey anyway, then maybe the Dark Hand would stand a chance against Chan. But then, Shendu did have a right to keep his Talismans, as the Enforcers had a history of lousing things up now.

Valmont had the Enforcers and Tohru meet him in the basement of the large complex they were in. Valmont hoped that Shendu wouldn't listen in, but he always could. He had told Shendu that he needed to fetch something, and that he'd be back. Still, Shendu was developing a certain level of distrust with Valmont, and that worried Valmont.

Valmont sighed wearily. Ever since the Enforcers lost the previous two Talismans to Chan, Valmont hadn't gotten much sleep. If the Dark Hand did not retrieve all twelve Talismans for Shendu, they would never get that treasure. And if Valmont and his organization were not compensated, he would not be a happy camper.

"… I don't care how… Just. Get. That. Rabbit. Talisman. I'm tired of repeating this, but do you understand…?"

The Ice Crew nodded slowly in unison. They had absolutely NO idea as to how they were going to accomplish this task. Even kidnapping the twerp did nothing to help them. Going toe to toe with Chan didn't seem to work either. Unless the twerp had the Talisman, they didn't stand a chance, or so they thought. But what were the chances of that happening…?

- At Section 13 -

Jackie had the Rabbit Talisman stored in the Vault in Section 13 immediately after they returned. Captain Black entered in the password for the Vault and thought that he'd entered it in without a certain youth noticing what it was, but of course Jade proved him wrong.

"I saw a '7'!" Jade exclaimed gleefully as she bounced in place. Jackie slapped his forehead and Captain Black groaned.

The Rabbit Talisman joined the Snake and the Ox, and Captain Black sealed the Vault once again. Since it was a weekday morning, Jade still had to go to school. Fortunately, they got back in time for Jackie to take her there and have her avoid another tardy. Before they were about to leave, Jade excused herself to go to the restroom. Actually, she planned on hacking into the Vault and taking the Rabbit Talisman out for a spin.

"With the Rabbit Talisman, I won't need Jackie to take me to school. I'll be there in, like, two seconds!"

Jade rubbed her hands together enthusiastically and entered '007' as the password. The Vault opened, of course, and Jade took out the Rabbit Talisman. Just as she got out of the Vault and closed it, however, she heard Jackie calling out for her, as she wasn't in the restroom, evidently.

"Jaaade?"

Jade panicked and accidentally activated the Rabbit Talisman. By sheer chance she ran into the hall that Jackie was walking down to look for her, and she had just enough time to slip into a room that was open a crack before he noticed her. She didn't expect to get zapped as soon as she entered the room, however.

"AUGH!"

Jade use the Rabbit Talisman to block the yellow energy from hitting her. A man in a white lab coat sighed and turned his machine off.

"Jade… Did you just intercept my chronotron beam?"

Jade made a cheesy grin and walked over to Kepler and pocketed the Rabbit Talisman.

"Me, Kepler? Nope! Hehe…"

Kepler chortled and made some adjustments to his machine.

"Keh heh! Can't have you disrupt the time continuum!"

Jade laughed meekly, backed away, and promptly exited the room. As soon as she did that, she ran into Jackie, who had his hands at his hips.

"There you are! You're going to be late, now come on!"

Jade sweatdropped.

"I… um… lost my way to the restroom… Excuse me…"

Jade went around Jackie and made a run for it. Jackie sighed wearily and ran after his niece.

"Jade!"

Jade didn't stop and took the telephone booth up to ground level. After that she made her way over to the middle of the street. She looked both ways and smirked.

"No cars… No cars… I think I can…" Jade dug for the Rabbit Talisman in her pocket and clutched it in her palm. "GO!"

With that, Jade was off. By the time Jackie got above ground, Jade was long gone. However, in mid-sprint, Jade noticed that the yellow energy from Kepler's machine was crackling across the Rabbit Talisman. Her eyes widened and she didn't notice as the scenery around her gradually changed. She failed to notice that she created a time AND space distortion back in her time, and lastly, and most importantly… Jade failed to notice she had traveled back in time.

At the Entry Point of the Distortion –

Ice, DJ Fist, and MC Cobra stared in awe at the crackling energy in front of them. They had just been casually walking down the street when Jade rushed by in the blink of an eye. To say that they were relieved to see the twerp possessing what they wanted was an understatement. But to see her create some weird kind of portal with it…?

"… You go in first," Ice commanded MC Cobra. Cobra shook his head fearfully.

"Nu-uh! YOU go first!"

DJ Fist grunted and went in without saying a word to his companions. Seeing DJ Fist go in, Ice manhandled Cobra and threw him into the portal.

"GET IN THERE!"

Then, Ice hopped in as well. Tohru, who finally caught up with the Ice Crew, saw the three enter the weird portal, so he grudgingly followed their lead, even though he didn't know WHY they entered it…

At Section 13 –

While Jade travelled to the past without knowing it, and without knowing that the Dark Hand was right behind her, Jackie was back in Section 13. He would normally be out there looking for Jade, but he got called in by Captain Black. Uncle and all three of his aides were with Captain Black when Jackie found them by the Vault.

"We just found out via security cam that Jade snuck away with the Rabbit Talisman, Jackie. If she beat you outside, she probably 'ran' to school. … Or so Uncle says."

Uncle nodded sagely and crossed his arms.

"If Jade has Rabbit Talisman, then we must make sure to get to her before Dark Hand. Uncle has placed spell on Vault that will stop anyone or anything from detecting Ox and Snake Talismans. Uncle does not know how Dark Hand detects Talismans, but Uncle has faith in Magic!"

Captain Black rolled his eyes. He doubted he'd ever accept this 'Magic' theory of Uncle's. Still, the Dark Hand was after the Talismans, and it was his job to bring them in.

"Let's head to Jade's school, Jackie. If the Dark Hand sent anyone after Jade again, we'll need to get there ASAP."

Finn crossed his arms and smirked.

"We'll come along, too! Can't let Mr. Chan or you get hurt, Captain Black, sir!"

Captain Black approved.

"… Sounds good. Unc, you comin'?"

Uncle nodded.

"Yes, Uncle will come. Uncle will teach Dark Hand to fear Uncle and leave niece alone."

Captain Black, Jackie, the three aides, and Uncle made their way to the surface…

After getting above ground, Captain Black turned to Jackie.

"So, which way?"

Jackie pointed at the road that Jade had ran to earlier.

"If we take that road for about two miles, we should be close, if not there."

Captain Black nodded and the six of them broke into a jog for Uncle's sake.

"Let's move!"

At the Dark Hand Headquarters –

"VALMONT!"

Valmont just reached the top floor of the complex again when he heard the stone dragon bellow out his name. Valmont ran into the room and stood at attention.

"Y-Yes, Shendu?"

"A distortion in time has opened up in San Francisco… I sense that the cause was my Rabbit Talisman… If your men do not bring my Talisman back, it will be your HEAD!" Shendu hissed.

Valmont gulped. He nodded meekly.

"Y-Yes, Shendu. W-Where is the distortion in time? I-I'll as-assist them this time, really!"

Shendu proceeded to give Valmont the location…

- At the Entry Point of the Distortion -

Jackie, Captain Black, and Uncle halted at the distortion that was in mid-air above the street that they had been jogging down. Jackie turned to Uncle.

"Uncle! Is this the Rabbit Talisman's doing?"

Uncle shrugged and rubbed his chin.

"Uncle does not know… Information on Rabbit Talisman did not describe such thing…"

Captain Black, in the meantime, stepped closer to the distortion. He only touched it, and suddenly he was pulled into it. This did not go unnoticed by Jackie.

"CAPTAIN BLACK!"

Jackie lunged into the distortion, followed by Finn, Ratso, and Chow, who yelled, "MR. CHAN!" simultaneously, leaving Uncle behind to gaze at the distortion by himself. When Jackie, his aides, and Captain Black didn't come out a few moments later, he proceeded to enter the distortion as well.

A little ways away, Valmont witnessed this and could only watch. He did not want Captain Black to see him. He cursed his luck when Captain Black went into the distortion, because he would have to follow the 'Good Captain', if he wanted to help his men out. So, with great reluctance, Valmont sprinted at the distortion and entered it moments later…

- At the Exit Point of the Distortion –

Jackie was the first of the six of them to regain his bearings. He looked about their surroundings and gasped. He got up and dusted himself off. The surroundings looked familiar to him, and yet…

"We're not in San Francisco…" Jackie turned to Uncle and shook him. Uncle got up groggily. He took a cleaning cloth from his shirt pocket and dusted his glasses. When Uncle got a look at their surroundings, he, too, was familiar with their surroundings, but he knew WHERE they were. While Uncle processed this, Jackie woke up Captain Black and his aides.

"It has been so many years… Uncle tried to forget. Uncle tried so hard."

Captain Black finally got up and groaned. He got a good look at where they were and was confused, because it didn't look even vaguely familiar.

"Where the heck are we…? Jackie? Uncle?"

Uncle shook his head in terror. He didn't think it was possible, yet… there was no other possible explanation.

"… Shanghai. Shanghai twenty years ago…"

Captain Black shook his head wildly. Maybe he just misheard Uncle.

"W-What?"

Jackie shook his head as well, but now he remembered. He had lived here for a few years in the eighties with Uncle while Uncle 'trained' with some Master.

"… He's right. I can still picture all these buildings from twenty years ago… We're in Shanghai, twenty years in the past. How did the Rabbit Talisman do this…?"

Ratso rubbed the back of his head and looked to Mr. Chan.

"Well… Back in Section 13, I heard Kepler grumbling about possibly hitting Jade with his chronotron beam; he was sure he saw it hit her. If it hit the Talisman instead, would it be able to do this…?"

Finn raised an eyebrow at Ratso.

"And for those of us that don't speak nerd-ese, what's a chronotron?"

Captain Black held his forehead and frowned.

"I remember Kepler talking about possibly researching time travel… In simple terms, "A chronotron is used for measuring small intervals of time by observing on an indicator the distance between electric impulses." His words, not mine. Who knows what Kepler developed? The guy's a genius, but he can be pretty eccentric at times…"

Uncle turned to the whole 'team'.

"Uncle must ascertain that we are, indeed, in Shanghai twenty years ago. Rest of you must find Jade. Uncle will find you later, if this is indeed Shanghai. Uncle knows city like back of hand."

Chow rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses.

"We can't let you go alone, Unc! What if you need help?"

Uncle harrumphed and crossed his arms.

"Uncle can take care of self. Go. Find Jade. Uncle will meet up with you later!"

Captain Black took out his cell phone. He turned to Jackie as he spoke.

"Jackie, you got your phone with you?"

Jackie felt his pockets and pulled out his phone once he found it.

"Um… Yes!"

Captain Black turned to Uncle and extended his phone.

"… Take it. We know you can fend for yourself, but it's best if we can keep in contact…"

Uncle balled his hands into fists and dropped his arms to his sides as he hollered.

"Aiyah! Uncle will find you old fashioned way, by searching! Uncle does not know how to use mobile phone!"

Captain Black backed up at Uncle's shout, but nodded.

"Alright, alright. But do be careful.

Uncle huffed and stormed away after that. Once Uncle was gone, Captain Black turned to Jackie.

"You're the only one who knows his way around this place besides Uncle, if this is really Shanghai twenty years ago. … Got any suggestions as to where to start looking for Jade?"

- North of the Fong Pagoda -

Valmont, unlike the Chan Clan, did not have a fainting spell after entering the portal. In fact, he just went through it and ended up in a completely different location than the Chans, for some odd reason. Needless to say, Valmont was relieved, because he wouldn't have to deal with Captain Black. Well, not yet, anyway. He'd have to confront Black at some point, but not without his Enforcers to back him up, Valmont reasoned.

Seeing that he wasn't in San Francisco anymore, Valmont wandered aimlessly. He figured out on his own that they had been transported to Shanghai by reading an old newspaper lying around. Valmont had never been to Shanghai, but, as a stuck up, illegally rich, English man, Valmont had picked up some Chinese over the years. He wasn't fluent, but he could read basic, basic Chinese. The newspaper stated, in addition to their current location being Shanghai, that they were all twenty years in the past. This boggled Valmont, but, at the same time, it did not come as a surprise, as the distortion had been a distortion related to time as well as space. The only question was: How could Valmont and his Enforcers get back? Valmont deduced that, if they could just get their hands on the Rabbit Talisman, they might be able to use it while it was still 'glitched', leaving the Chan Clan stranded twenty years in the past. It wasn't too cunning, but what other choice did they have at this point in time?

Valmont wandered aimlessly for half an hour. Shanghai was big. Very, very big. Which is why half an hour after arriving in Shanghai, he managed to locate his Enforcers who were equally lost.

"V-Man!" Ice exclaimed, clearly pleased. The Ice Crew and Tohru rushed over to Valmont. Some of them, more than others, had the urge to hug him, but were strong and resisted the urge.

"You got a way to get us out of here, boss? We can hardly understand a word people, posters, and newspapers are saying around here!" MC Cobra moaned. DJ Fist and Tohru nodded in affirmation. Ice just shook his head, not getting any of this, with the exception that they weren't in San Francisco anymore.

"I do. Right now we are in Shanghai, China, twenty years in our past. Something made the Rabbit Talisman capable of creating a rip in the space-time continuum, but obviously not big enough to endanger the very fabric of time. … If you believe science fiction, that is. I am afraid that, before I caught up with the four of you, I was just as lost as you were, and I still am. Unless we find the Rabbit Talisman, we will be taking the LONG way home."

As if on cue, Tohru pointed to the other side of the street and yelled at the top of his lungs.

"THERE!"

The Ice Crew and Valmont turned to stare at what Tohru was pointing at, and it was in fact Jade Chan. Jade had been the first to travel back in time, and she was just as lost as everyone else, if not moreso because no one had bothered to tell her she had traversed great distances in time and space. She yelped at being spotted by the Dark Hand and proceeded to backtrack. Jade was unfamiliar with the layout of Shanghai, and only 'knew' the places she had explored in the last half hour. As soon as Jade made a run for it, Ice seethed and began to run after her with the rest of the Enforcers and Valmont and Tohru in tow.

"Get that brat!"

- With the Rest of the Chans, Minus Uncle -

A half hour had passed, and they didn't have a lead on Jade's or the Dark Hand's whereabouts at all. Coincidentally, five minutes after the Dark Hand had begun chasing Jade around the city, they heard Jade's screams not too far away, and Jackie, Captain Black, and the aides tried to follow the source of her scream. Unfortunately, they didn't get there fast enough.

When Jackie, Captain Black, and the aides found Jade, she was battered and bruised. The Dark Hand had caught up with her in an alley, had forcibly taken the Talisman from her, and left her beaten in an alleyway. They didn't care to use her as a hostage again, because they just wanted to go home. Unfortunately for the Dark Hand, they couldn't figure out how to activate the Rabbit Talisman as the Chans had done, and they were still just as trapped as the Chans.

"Jackie…" Jade whimpered. Jackie held her close after Ratso had diagnosed that Jade's wounds were only minor. The Dark Hand could've done much worse, but they didn't. Jackie didn't approve of their beating on his niece, but he was very thankful they left her to live.

"Shh…" Jackie put a finger to his lips. "Rest. We'll find a way to get back home, Jade. I just hope our only way back isn't to wait twenty years…"

"Dark… Hand… Couldn't get… Couldn't get Talisman to work… Tried to get me to… to talk… But I… refused…" Jade managed to get out. Finn rubbed his chin thoughtfully after hearing that bit.

"Did you hear where they were headed? I hope they don't know their way around here, but they might," Finn offered. Jade shook her head. Then she fell asleep.

Jackie stood up and turned to his aides. He handed the sleeping Jade over to Finn.

"Take care of her, please. I don't want to risk her getting hurt anymore. If the Dark Hand is still here, than they shouldn't have gotten far. Captain Black, Ratso, Chow, and I will go after them. As much as I'd like your help in the fight to come, Finn, if the Dark Hand got their hands on her again, they might…"

Finn placed a hand on Jackie's shoulder reassuringly.

"… No worries, Mr. Chan. I'll take good care of Jade. But… We will need a place to meet up so that I can get home, too, ya know."

Jackie nodded. Then he looked around the area they were currently in. He was pleased to be able to read the street sign and find out that his old home in Shanghai wasn't too far from here. Motioning for everyone to follow him, Jackie led them to his house after walking down a side street. He pointed at the house in front of them. It was a two story house, but it looked like a very poor house. The roof was in shambles, the chimney looked like it would fall apart at any moment, and the porch appeared to have seen better days. The house was painted white, but the paint was now chipping off, and the roof and the chimney were painted black. Jackie remembered that Uncle had put a lot of money into moving to Shanghai, and that they could barely afford this house. How they managed to move back to San Francisco and afford to run the antique shop that they did now was an enigma to him.

"Meet us here. If you feel Jade needs medication, there's a pharmacy right around the corner," Jackie said jabbing his thumb at a corner just a few feet away. "When I was here, they spoke English there. I didn't learn to speak and read Chinese fluently until the year that Uncle and I moved to San Francisco… which is this year, if I'm not mistaken."

Captain Black crossed his arms and smirked.

"Alright, now that we found Jade and she's safe, let's go kick their butt…"

Little did they know that the Dark Hand would be harder to beat this time. Because while the Chans and the Dark Hand were 'frolicking' through Shanghai, Uncle was reliving some of the most painful memories of his life. And at the center of those painful memories was one man: Teku.

- With Uncle -

Uncle trudged down the very familiar streets slowly. Shanghai was just like it was twenty years ago, so they had to have travelled in time. No place can remain unchanged for twenty years. Uncle eventually stopped at a noodle stand. He was staring at it, but clearly his mind was elsewhere…

_"Unc? You okay?"_

_ A much younger Uncle shook his head and smiled at his best friend._

_ "Sorry, I was just thinking."_

_ A young, ginger-headed woman giggled beside Uncle's best friend._

_ "You're always doing that. Tell us what's on your mind for once, Uncle."_

_ Uncle sighed and didn't stop smiling._

_ "Well… I know that we still have much training to do, but what happens after we finish our training…? Have you put any thought into that…?"_

_ Uncle's best friend shrugged and smiled._

_ "What's there to put thought into…?" Uncle's friend placed his hands into his girlfriend's. "I shall marry Claire, and help Master Fong instruct future wizards."_

_ Claire blushed. A wide grin was plastered on her face. Her attention drifted back to Uncle._

_ "What are your plans, Uncle?"_

_ Uncle laughed nervously._

_ "Well, I was… hoping to return to San Francisco and run my shop again, but turn it into an antique shop!_

_ Uncle put his hands up defensively in case his friends were offended._

_ "Nothing would make me happier than to stay with you and Master Fong, but I feel compelled to pursue archaeology, or at least be in the business of trading artifacts."_

_ Uncle's best friend chuckled and smiled warmly._

_ "Well, while it's not something I would do… It is important to go for your dreams. No worries, Claire and I support you wholeheartedly."_

_ Jackie, who had been listening intently to the grown-ups talk, finally spoke up._

_ "I want to be an archaeologist, too!"_

_ They all broke out into smiles and proceeded to order their usual bowls of ramen…_

Uncle sighed wistfully at the memory. That had happened the first year that he and Teku had started training under Master Fong. Where did it all go wrong…?

Uncle started walking again and soon found himself in front of a jewelry store. Yet another flashback ensued as he gazed into the store…

_"What do you think of this ring, Uncle…?"_

_ Uncle smiled at his friend's nervousness to pick out an engagement ring for Claire. Claire would love Teku no matter what engagement ring he picked, Uncle knew that for certain. Jackie had been in school during this time, and wouldn't have wanted to visit a jewelry store at his age anyway. _

_ "It's beautiful, Teku, she will love it. But then… she will always love you, no matter what ring you give her!"_

_ Teku sighed wearily and nodded._

_ "I-I know… It's… It's just I… She's a special woman, Uncle, and I… I don't want to disappoint her…"_

_ Uncle placed a hand on Teku's shoulder reassuringly._

_ "Believe me: You won't," Uncle said. Turning to the salesman, Uncle said, "My friend would like to make his purchase now. Hurry! Before he changes his mind!"_

_ Teku elbowed Uncle's side playfully and sighed exasperatedly. What was he going to do with Uncle…?_

Uncle sighed wistfully yet again. That had been a few years after he and Teku had started training under Master Fong. Uncle had trained under Master Fong for ten years before Master Fong was…

Uncle shook his head wildly. He didn't like to think about it. With any luck, this was sometime before that unfortunate… incident. Perhaps he'd relive a happy memory between him and Teku before the day was done. … That was wishful thinking, Uncle reasoned. In the final year that he and Teku had received training from Master Fong, the 'good' memories were sparse. It was like something changed in Teku; he was a totally different man than he was in the previous nine years of training. Uncle even recalled Claire coming to him a week before the event that would change his life forever.

_"He's not the same, Uncle… I can tell something's wrong. Up until a year ago, he was the same man that we all know and love…"_

_ Claire said concernedly. Uncle rubbed his chin thoughtfully._

_ "I've been concerned about Teku's behavior this past year as well… Do you remember anything strange happening on the day he changed outwardly…?"_

_ Claire shook her head, but suddenly realization seemed to dawn on her._

_ "Well… There was that black-robed man... But you must understand, Teku always helped out the homeless, even going so far as to let them stay in his home for a while. But that man… that man was very much unlike the others. He was old, he was homeless… But something was off about him. He had strange markings on his face, and something in his eyes told me he was bad news. Teku wouldn't hear it, though, and dismissed me when it came to that man… The man left after spending a single night at Teku's, and that's when Teku started… acting oddly."_

_ Uncle frowned and struck a thoughtful pose._

_ "Did you ever learn the man's name…?"_

_ Claire nodded and looked Uncle straight in the eye._

_ "… Daolon Wong."_

Uncle shook his head at the memory. This 'Daolon Wong' had obviously been bad news. If only he hadn't been running errands for Master Fong those couple of days… maybe Teku wouldn't have changed so dramatically…

Uncle shuddered. The most painful memory was yet to come, as he was near the place. No, correction: He had reached it. Master Fong's Pagoda…

_The tragic day had started like any other. Uncle was chosen by Master Fong to come in for his training session at 6AM. Normally the others would join them, but Fong had a private session with Uncle today. Master Fong was slightly shorter than Uncle and he was bald and had a mustache that hung down. Before Uncle could even ask Master Fong what he was going to be studying, Fong poured him and Uncle some herbal tea and proceeded to tell him the REAL reason behind their private session._

_ "… Uncle, I do not trust them."_

_ Fong said after he took a long sip of tea. He set the cup back on its plate and stared sagely at Uncle. Uncle scratched his head and raised an eyebrow._

_ "Who, Master? We have no enemies…"_

_ Master Fong shook his head and took another sip of tea._

_ "The other students… For a year now they have been acting… strangely. Almost as if they were receiving training from another, darker individual…"_

_ Uncle still had an eyebrow raised as he took a sip of his own tea._

_ "Pardon me for saying so sir, but I don't think anyone else would be able to teach them Magic as well as you…"_

_ Fong wagged his pointer finger and closed his eyes and sighed._

_ "I cannot be too sure of that anymore, young one… You see, the other day I asked each of them to perform an advanced spell that we had not gotten to in our training regiment yet. They performed the spell flawlessly. As you know, you have been my star pupil. I asked you to perform the same spell, so they would not grow suspicious, and you failed to perform the spell."_

_ Uncle's eyes widened in realization._

_ "I thought I was slacking in my studies, Master!"_

_ Fong shook his head again and chuckled._

_ "No, young one… You have not. I do not know how far along the other students are, but left unchecked, they could overpower us. Now, to prepare you for any potential battle in the near future, today I will be teaching you some very advanced spells. Hopefully these spells have not been taught to the other students or how to counteract them. I do not know how long they will wait to attack us, if they will at all, but their intentions are clearly not good."_

_ Uncle's eyes bulged at the news of the other students possibly being hostile._

_ "But… But… They can't be hostile, Master! If they wish to attack us, then they could go after Jackie…"_

_ Master Fong nodded in agreement and finished his tea._

_ "I do not know if they will attack… But if they choose to do so, they could harm more than just you, me, and your nephew Jackie… As I said, I do not know how advanced they are in their new training regiment, but we must exercise caution."_

_ Uncle gasped as he still hadn't processed all of this._

_ "We must start right away, Master! Teach me! Teach me!"_

_ And so Master Fong did._

Uncle closed his eyes as those memories were still fresh in his mind, even though they took place twenty years ago for him. Later that day, the other students did attack, and it wasn't pretty. Uncle looked up in surprise as he saw it. A creature of shadows with piercing red eyes. It stood as tall as the Pagoda itself, and it formed right before Uncle's very eyes. Again.

Uncle sank to his knees. Then today was that fateful day twenty years ago…

Inside the Pagoda, Uncle and Master Fong were surrounded by the other four students: Teku, Lin, Mallah, and 'Specter'. Uncle and Master Fong were still in their gray robes. Teku, Lin, Mallah, and Specter were now adorning black robes with red outlines along the sleeves and red belts.

Teku was clearly the 'leader' of the group, as he had been the only one of the four 'rebels' to demand total surrender and to command the others to surround Master Fong. Lin, the only female of the group, was petite and a kung-fu machine; she was the second-in-command of the rebels, and tended to laugh at everything, even though she was quite serious when she needed to be. Mallah was the muscle of the group; he was a burly fellow with arms and hands that were gargantuan and he was bald; lastly, he was one of the most intelligent members of the group. And finally… 'Specter'. His real name was unknown; he claimed he didn't have any. When compared to his comrades, Specter was a shrimpy fellow, his complexion almost drained of all color; very skinny, and very fast, Specter specialized in teleportation spells, but not much else was known about him; his eyes always hid a certain mischievousness that no one would expect from such a quiet and mild-mannered individual. The four of them had been secretly training under Daolon Wong, and they were trained to take Master Fong down for the Dark Chi Wizard. Though they used to hold Master Fong in high esteem and gratitude, when Wong promised that he would teach them the spells that were 'forbidden' by Master Fong, all four jumped at the chance and showed no remorse in betraying Master Fong.

Now today was the day that the four young 'Wizards' would hold up their end of the bargain. Teku tilted his head and smirked coldly at Uncle.

"One last chance, Uncle… You've been a good friend over the years, and I'd hate to see you get hurt… Or worse…"

Uncle shook his head stubbornly and stomped his foot.

"You are all traitors! I will stand by Master Fong to the end!"

Teku shrugged and motioned for Specter to make his move.

"Have it your way! Spec'! Show them what true Magic is!"

Just then, the giant shadow creature that had been waiting outside up until now used a giant three-clawed hand to smash through the roof of the Pagoda. The creature, now slightly taller than the Pagoda, peeked into the room with its piercing red eyes. It brought down the same three-clawed hand and everyone moved to get out of the way. Master Fong and Uncle, now on opposite sides of the room, looked at each other and smirked. They were ready to counteract this spell. Master Fong yelled over to Uncle as Lin ran at Master Fong.

"Do exactly what I showed you to do! You can do this!"

Uncle brought his puffer fish out for the first time in his life and chanted in Cantonese. All he could hope for was success. This was a real life situation, after all, not a training exam.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!"

Uncle chanted that over and over and green energy continuously shot out of the puffer fish and zapped the giant creature. Specter winced at this because he tied himself to the shadow creature so it would be easier to control, and he felt everything that it did; Specter attempted to stop Uncle from finishing the spell, though he reached Uncle just a few moments late. Specter was only an arm's length away when Uncle had finished the spell. The shadow creature convulsed and disappeared. With the shadow creature now banished, Specter collapsed mid-charge and breathed heavily. He had managed to start disconnecting himself from the creature while charging at Uncle, but it still hurt badly when the creature was banished, and Specter would find out later that he lost his voice because of his forced separation from the creature. Mallah, after seeing his teammate fall, was enraged and charged at Uncle. Mallah tended to be a hothead, but seeing his teammate collapse like that just sent him over the edge. Using what he learned in martial arts, Uncle dodged swiftly and Mallah was sent crashing into what was left of the south wall of the top floor of the Pagoda. Uncle had known Mallah for years now, same with Specter, yet he had little remorse because they were so willing to betray him and Master Fong.

On the other side of the room, Master Fong was holding his own against Lin and Teku. Teku noticed that they lost their edge when Specter's shadow creature was banished. He turned to Lin and barked a command.

"We need to finish this now! I wanted to impress Wong, but it looks like that's not happening today…"

Lin was about to protest, but she noticed Teku already making hand signs for a spell that would conjure up a sword, or some other fatal object. What he was attempting was really, really desperate. Wong taught them various spells that could be used without ingredients. However, the cost of the ingredient-less spells was that the user would feel fatigued. VERY fatigued. So much so that the user would lose consciousness almost immediately after performing them, and wouldn't wake up again for a period of time.

"Are you sure…?"

Lin inquired as the spell was almost complete. Teku nodded. This would cost him, but it would be worth it to finally uphold their end of the bargain. A dagger was formed. A dagger was still a big enough object for Teku to lose consciousness in ten seconds, but he wouldn't be out for nearly as long as if he conjured up a sword or some large fatal object. At most, Teku would be out for an hour. If he had done a sword, he would've been out for a good portion of the day.

"Here, take it," Teku insisted. As soon as Lin took it, Teku was out like a light. Lin hated seeing her leader collapse so easily, but they had a job to do, and the team was short two members currently.

Lin noticed that Master Fong had taken this time to run over to Uncle and help him take on Mallah. Mallah was a brute – an intelligent brute, but a brute nevertheless – he rarely resorted to using spells. Still, he studied Magic to use as an Ace up his sleeve, should brute force not work. Mallah's eyes widened in recognition when he saw her wielding a dagger. He nodded and prepared a visual illusion spell with some ingredients from a small bag attached to his belt. Master Fong's eyes bulged when he realized what was about to happen. He grabbed Uncle and threw him out of harm's way. Lin tossed the dagger and Mallah cast the spell, making it look like twenty daggers flying at him and Mallah. Except… There was only one real dagger, and Master Fong did not know which one to dodge. Mallah stood right behind Master Fong, and the dagger pierced Fong's heart precisely. Time seemed to stand still as Uncle witnessed this. Master Fong kept standing for a few moments, but then he fell back into Mallah's massive and bulky arms. Mallah sneered and dropped his old Master like a rag doll. Master Fong was now dead, and their mission was complete. He felt no remorse, and neither did Lin, Teku, or Specter.

Specter got up, joined his comrades, and weakly cast a teleportation spell that would get them out of the Pagoda safely. Mallah and Lin had Teku draped over their shoulders, and they warned Uncle not to follow them. Uncle didn't have the slightest inkling as to where they were going! Yet it was only fair for the group to warn Uncle, because the group was seriously weakened currently, and they did not want to be defeated. They were fuming that Uncle and Master Fong got as far as nearly taking out two of the team's members.

Uncle made his way over to his now deceased Master when the traitors had left. Fong had died the moment his heart was pierced; it was a swift and painless death, at least. That didn't ease Uncle's mind much, though, as he couldn't protect his Master, even though he and Master Fong had the traitors on the ropes. He wept for a good hour before getting up and deciding to report the murder.

Outside, the older Uncle was weeping was well. He couldn't have done anything to stop them, and he knew it. If he had tried to be a hero, he might've been taken hostage, and who knows how that would've ended up? Standing up: Uncle wiped away his tears and sniffed. He would not let his Master's death be in vain. He would honor the memory of his sensei and be a good Chi Wizard, and help his family get home. He knew not where they would be, but he would not let them down…

- With the Dark Hand -

The Dark Hand had moved to another deserted alleyway a few blocks away from where the Chans would find Jade. Unless Jade saw where they were headed, they'd have time to figure out how the Rabbit Talisman worked. Or so they hoped. Valmont was currently trying to make it work, and he just didn't know what he was doing.

"Ya anywhere close to getting that thing to work, V-man?" Ice asked inquisitively. He was concerned that the Chans would find them before they got to get back home, and that they would be the ones stranded, if they weren't careful.

Valmont grunted and threw his hands into the air exasperatedly.

"I give up! I haven't the faintest clue how a Talisman works, because I've never USED a Talisman before! Do any of you recall how you got your Talismans to work in the past…?"

Ice scratched his head and frowned.

"Not really… It's been a while since I used one, and it's hard to describe what to do exactly…"

DJ Fist and MC Cobra nodded in affirmation. Tohru crossed his arms and smirked.

"What if we let the Chans use it and let them work it for us? Then we take it back from them…"

Valmont rolled his eyes and tossed the Rabbit Talisman to Ice.

"Tohru, that has to be the worst idea you've ever had… If they get their hands on this thing, whoever uses it will be too fast for us to catch. The Chans will escape, and we'll be lucky to follow them if that happens…"

Tohru grumbled as his idea was shot down, and the Dark Hand resumed taking turns passing the Talisman around, trying to get it to work. The alleyway they were in happened to be close to the Fong Pagoda, and the Dark Chi Wizards that succeeded in their mission teleported to a rooftop overlooking the alleyway. Teku was still knocked out, and Specter was about ready to pass out again. Mallah and Lin were busy discussing their next course of action.

"The old man's pet… He will report us soon enough, after he has grieved his loss…"

Mallah droned in a tone devoid of emotion. Lin could only agree. She crossed her arms and heaved a sigh.

"We'll have to wait until Teku and Specter rest. Teku will probably recover first, and you could argue that we could attempt to escape the city once he does. However, since we have one who is a master at teleporting, I suggest we wait and get out of Shanghai the quick and easy way. The police will be busy securing a border anyway, making it easier for us to get out of here with Specter."

Mallah frowned and thought the proposal over. If the police did locate them before Specter recovered, they would only stand a chance if Teku recovered by that point. Two Wizards might have a tough time with the authorities, but three? It gave them a fighting chance, and Specter was clearly the quickest way out of Shanghai.

Mallah nodded after a few moments of mulling things over.

"Alright, but we should probably move to a more… secluded area…"

Mallah and Lin looked around and both of them drew their attention to the alleyway below them…

- With the Chans -

"Ugh, finding those no-good crooks is gonna be like looking for a needle in a haystack!" Chow whined. Already they'd been at it in search of the Dark Hand for ten minutes, and still nothin'.

Captain Black looked left and right as they walked down the street and he was frowning deeply.

"… Mmm. Alleyways would probably be the best place to start looking… I mean, why would they want to try sneaking into a public place? That'd just attract attention if they're trying to get a Talisman to work…"

Jackie nodded.

"And we can't exactly use Section 13's satellite surveillance to track them…"

Ratso moaned and threw his hands into the air.

"Aww! I was gonna ask if we could do that…"

Captain Black snapped as fingers as he thought of something.

"Actually…" Captain Black pulled out his phone and smirked. "Might be hard to contact the boys, but I THINK my phone can still access the satellite from here…"

Jackie raised an eyebrow.

"Twenty years in the past?"

Chow nodded in agreement as he, too, raised an eyebrow.

"And wouldn't that track the Dark Hand's current location in the present?"

Captain Black moaned. He put his phone away and sighed. They really were looking for 'a needle in a haystack'. Just then they heard Tohru's scream nearby. Jackie, Captain Black, Ratso, and Chow looked at each other and said, "Bingo!" simultaneously. They rushed to the source of the scream…

- With the Dark Hand -

Lin chose to stay up on the rooftop and guard Teku and Specter. While they would probably be okay, she didn't want to risk losing to a bunch of street thugs. Besides, Mallah could usually hold his own against formidable odds.

Mallah smirked venomously as he realized that the giant, Tohru, was just as much of a pushover as the rest of them looked.

"I will give you one last chance… Leave now or there will be consequences…"

Valmont seethed. Who was this hoodlum to attack the Dark Hand and have the gall to order them to leave?

"Now see here… I…"

Just then Jackie, Captain Black, Ratso, and Chow showed up at the entrance to the alleyway. Valmont shut up and directed his attention at Chan. This was the first time he formally met Jackie Chan face to face. Valmont smirked at Chan.

"Ah, Mr. Chan, so nice to finally meet you. I'd like to dispense with the formalities and destroy you, but we're currently in the middle of dealing with this… hoodlum."

Mallah turned to the newcomers. They didn't seem anymore impressive than the ones currently occupying the alleyway, yet Mallah noted that the Dark Hand tensed up at the sight of the newcomers.

Ice, who had actually battled the Chans numerous times already, did not possess his boss's arrogance. Ice quivered and yelped uncharacteristically.

"It's the fuzz! Run!"

Ice and his Crew were just about to leap from wall to wall and ascend the alleyway when Tohru halted their efforts and glowered at them. They instantly turned back around, still pale, but with 'Game Faces' on.

Mallah curled his hand into a fist and sneered at the Chans that were present.

"What will it be, fools? Will you walk away, or shall I crush you…?"

Captain Black ran at Mallah without hesitating, and Jackie was right behind him, backing him up. Jackie looked familiar to Mallah, but he didn't hesitate at repelling their feeble attack. Tohru lunged at Mallah from behind, and the two came crashing down.

And while Jackie, Captain Black, Mallah, and Tohru were occupied, Valmont and his Enforcers proceeded to attempt at sneaking away, but were stopped by Ratso and Chow. Valmont thought that they could get by them, as they outnumbered Ratso and Chow, but Ratso and Chow did manage to beat the Enforcers and Valmont back and even managed to knock away the Talisman and make it a free-for-all.

Lin watched all of this from above and had to cringe as her team's strongest member was pummeled very badly. She happened to notice the Rabbit Talisman lying in the middle of all the action, and contemplated trying to make off with it, as it seemed valuable. Yet she didn't have much time to think about it because she heard Teku groan from behind her.

"Ugh… Did we succeed…?"

Lin gave him her full and undivided attention. She nodded and helped Teku up.

"Yeah… Specter teleported us away and we're waiting for him to recover so we can just get out of Shanghai the quick and easy way…"

Teku nodded in understanding and happened to look down into the alleyway. He was confused as to why Mallah was in the scuffle and then he spotted the Rabbit Talisman. He looked at it in a curious manner and rubbed his chin.

"One of the twelve Talismans of Shendu… I never thought I'd see one in my entire life…"

Lin raised an eyebrow and watched the brawl with Teku.

"You know what that thing is…?"

Teku nodded and crossed his arms, not taking his eyes off the treasure.

"Indeed… I read about them when I was researching ancient folklore… Some things you could tell were fairytales, but somehow I just knew that the Talismans existed, and were just waiting to be found…"

Lin cringed at the idea of getting into that fight. She just wasn't in the mood to be sat on by a sumo. But she knew that Teku would make her assist him in retrieving it…

Lin sighed and prepared herself.

"… What do you need me to do?"

Mallah was regaining his edge in the battle as Lin and Teku joined the fight. He forcibly kicked Tohru back into a wall and held both Captain Black and Jackie up and bashed them together. To say they were disoriented was an understatement. Mallah sneered and turned to his two comrades.

"This is TOO easy… I was taken by surprise for a while, but now I think I- OOF!"

This time it was the Ice Crew who had chosen to jump Mallah. Lin proceeded to aid her comrade, and Teku went on to retrieve the Talisman. Of course, when he saw a simple child pick it up, he was surprised to say the least.

"YOU! Give it here!" Teku promptly commanded the child. But Jade just stuck her tongue out, and backed away as Finn, Ratso, and Chow cracked their knuckles and got ready to defend Jade.

"Whatcha gonna do now Tough Guy? Whatcha gonna do now?" Finn taunted.

"Get out of my way, you boorish buffoons!" Teku roared. In a surprising display of physical fitness, Teku leaped over the aides and charged at Jade. Jade managed to get the Talisman to work, though, and she ran to the side, making Teku crash into the wall. No distortion opened up to take them back home, though.

"Huh? C'mon! WOOORK!" Jade whined as she used the Talisman over and over before Uncle, who had just arrived himself, spoke up.

"Uncle thinks that Talisman will open distortion again when you use Talisman to run through same point you ran out of and arrived here."

Jade's mouth was open, and she clearly hadn't followed Uncle.

"So… Return to the start?"

Uncle nodded and smiled.

Teku turned around at this point and nearly had a heart attack when he got a good look at Uncle.

"But-But-But…! You can't be here!" Teku cried as he backed himself into the wall that he had crashed into.

Uncle smirked and walked up to him.

"But heeere Uncle is! Ha-Cha!"

Teku attempted that same spell where he could get objects to appear, but Uncle knocked him upside the head with two fingers before he could get too far. Teku growled and inched away from Uncle along the wall. Once outside the alleyway, Teku commanded Lin and Mallah to make their escape. They were clearly outnumbered AND outmatched.

Teku turned his attention to Uncle and smirked coldly.

"Enjoy your victory, Uncle… Fortune favored you today… But know this: Only certain defeat lies in your future!"

Everyone was listening by this point, even the Dark Hand, who could take control of the situation. That gave Lin and Mallah the distraction they needed to break away and ascend the alleyway to freedom. Jade curled her hands into fists and raised one up at Teku's face.

"Never! We'll never lose to the likes of you!"

Teku continued smirking. He backed away slowly, his work was done. His team had gotten away.

"Such spirit in this one!" Teku turned to Uncle one last time. "Uncle! Soon you will see that you cannot defeat me! But I believe that is for another time… Haha…"

Teku broke out into a full evil fit of maniacal laughter and ran away. Jade waved a hand dismissively after Teku was long gone.

"Pfft… As if, HE'S the one that ran away…"

Uncle had his arms crossed and he looked contemplative.

"Indeed… But Uncle still thinks it is not over…"

The Chan Clan was now all reunited now, and everyone was ready to go home. The Chan Clan all turned to Jade expectantly, as they were curious as to what point Jade had entered Shanghai. But first, Jackie had an inquiry.

"Jade! I thought I told Finn to keep you away from here…"

Jackie said in a harsh tone as he glanced at Finn, who looked to the side shamefully. Jade harrumphed and crossed her arms.

"You guys obviously needed help! I wasn't about to let anything happen to you, so I had Finn help me find you guys. Let me tell ya, it wasn't too hard 'cause you guys were making such a ruckus with all your fighting…"

Jackie rubbed the back of his head and smiled nervously.

"Eh heh…"

Captain Black then asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Jade… Where in Shanghai did you first show up…?"

- At the Exit Point of the Distortion -

Surprisingly, Jade was able to lead everyone - even the Dark Hand, who had to sneakily follow them, because Captain Black threatened to arrest them when they returned to San Francisco - to the location where she first entered Shanghai: The street that Jackie's house was on. Jade crossed her arms and looked at everyone attentively.

"At first I was kinda surprised… I mean, one minute I'm in San Fran, the next… I'm in Shanghai! And THEN I was surprised that Finn was looking after me here, 'cause I showed up here…"

Everyone could hear sirens in the distance. Police were out on patrols, so they hadn't found Teku and his team yet, obviously. Jackie turned to Uncle quickly and confirmed what they had to do.

"So… Jade just uses the Rabbit Talisman to open up the distortion on this end, and we'll be able to get home…?"

Uncle nodded and turned to Jade.

"Okay, Jade! Just run the opposite way you ran when you arrived here…"

Jade nodded and complied. When she reached a certain point, the distortion opened up and Jade went through it again. Jackie's aides were the first to the distortion and they ran into it, followed by Captain Black, Uncle, and Jackie, who just wanted to make sure that Uncle would get through. The Dark Hand waited a few seconds before they ran through it. They hoped they wouldn't be right where the Chans were, 'cause there'd be trouble otherwise…

- At the Entrance Point to the Distortion -

After the Dark Hand came through the distortion and conveniently appeared in an alleyway out of sight a distance from where the Chans piled up in the street, the distortion closed. The Dark Hand waited for the Chans to leave the area before making their way back to their HQ. The Dark Hand would most definitely be getting an ear full from Shendu for not retrieving his Talisman, but at least they didn't have to take 'the long way home'. The Chans returned to Section 13, and the Rabbit Talisman was safely sealed away in the Vault once again…

- Outside of Shanghai, Twenty Years Ago -

Teku awoke from his slumber. The Dark Chi Wizards had gotten out of Shanghai safely, and they returned to Daolon Wong because they had nowhere else to stay. Teku was not awoken by his comrades but by a voice in his head. The same voice from the dream that he would have twenty years later, and it was telling him what was next now that Master Fong was dead…

**Whoo! What a Chapter to write. I hope you guys and gals enjoyed it. This Chapter was fun, but exhausting at the same time. Feel free to rain down the criticism. I know in some areas it was confusing for Jamey Gamer, so if you're still confused, even after I clarified everything to the best of my ability, I won't hold it against you to be harsh here. Just give your honest opinion! I hope to have another update or two for you guys and gals next week!**

** ~Yaxon **


	7. Eye of the Tiger'

_Valmont narrowed his eyes as he examined the artifact. It was certainly big, and the detail put into the statue was certainly remarkable. Yet, if he couldn't bargain for it, he would leave in an instant. This was the black market, not a store where things could be 'fairly' priced. If the old man had wanted to make a profit off of this… dragon… he wouldn't be selling it on the black market._

_ "… Three thousand."_

_ The elderly man raised an eyebrow. The price he had specifically given to the object was five thousand American dollars. The man frowned, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes as he sighed._

_ "Mr. Valmont… I went through a lot to procure this… treasure… If you are not willing to pay full price, maybe I will find someone who will…"_

_ Valmont scoffed. The man had a lot of nerve to say that to a customer's face._

_ "Need I remind you that this is the black market, 'good' sir? Besides, you probably won't get a better deal for this thing. I'm about the richest man at this petty market right now. Shoo me away, and you'll get a far less fair deal. I'm willing to give you sixty percent of the total price! I could go much lower; maybe even take it for free."_

_ The man and Valmont glared at each other. It was almost like they were having a glaring contest. The elderly man spoke up after a few moments of tension had passed._

_ "… My final offer, then, is thirty five hundred, Mr. Valmont. I will not take a penny less."_

_ Valmont rolled his eyes and pulled out his checkbook. He scribbled down the amount and handed the man the check. He called over some henchmen and they took the statue away. Valmont smirked before he turned around and walked away._

_ "Nice doing business with you, Mr. Teku… Have a lovely day…"_

_ Valmont waved after straightening his jacket collar and walking away. Teku took the check and cashed it immediately. However, the bank told Teku that the checking account did not exist, so Teku didn't even make a penny off of selling that dragon statue. To say that Teku had been cheated was an understatement. It was his job to ensure that Valmont retrieved Shendu, but that didn't mean Teku couldn't have gotten something for doing his job. Teku made a vow after that day. _

_ "Mark my words, Valmont… You will PAY for this grave error… I will make sure of it…"_

_ Valmont had obtained Shendu three months before the Ox Talisman had activated. Ten years earlier, Teku and his team had received several 'packages' that they were to take care of and deliver. Teku had laid claim to two of the packages, the rest were divided amongst his team. The Snake Talisman he had 'delivered' immediately. The second one he didn't get rid of until the Talisman Hunt was well underway…_

- At the Dark Hand Headquarters –

"OH YEAH, DAWG! You goin' DOWN!" Ice hollered excitedly.

Tohru grimaced as he shook his head. The Enforcers were goofing off, and there was no telling when another Talisman would activate. If Valmont caught them slacking off again, they'd all get a stern talking to, even him. Though the Enforcers were quite skilled in mortal combat, they never trained seriously enough to keep up the quality of their 'moves'. Right now they were doing what almost any American teenage boy would do sometime in their teenager years: Play video games.

Tohru's fears were realized: A Talisman had activated, and Valmont was calling for all of them on the intercom. Needless to say, when Tohru moved to cover for the Enforcers and respond to Valmont's call, the TV - not to mention the Enforcers themselves - was loud enough for Valmont to pick up through the intercom.

"Youse gonna pay for that!" MC Cobra growled as his robot was taken down by DJ Fist and Ice together. DJ Fist and Ice then proceeded to battle it out for the Gold.

"Tohru… Everyone upstairs. Now." Valmont seethed into the intercom. He had just had about enough of his own Enforcers. Up until the Talisman Hunt, their shenanigans were tolerated, but now they were just being childish, and Valmont couldn't take it anymore. Tohru informed everyone of the news, and the game was dropped quickly. But not before Ice blasted DJ Fist while he was away from his controller briefly.

"Hehe… You snooze you lose…"

Ice laughed and ran to join the others in the elevator. When they got up to Valmont and Shendu, Valmont had them stand in a line in front of him and he paced back and forth in front of them all. After a few moments of silence, Valmont spoke up.

"What exactly am I paying you for…?" Valmont inquired. MC Cobra raised his hand. Ice and DJ Fist rolled their eyes at the gesture, but kept their traps shut.

"To… collect the Talismans…?" MC Cobra half-answered, half-questioned meekly. Valmont gave him no indication that he was right or wrong, but he went on.

"Well, you're certainly doing a poor job… Whatever it is. Unless it's shirking off, like you were just doing before I called you.

Valmont paused to let his venomous words sink in.

"Now… As much as I don't like to do it, I am going to give you all one more chance." Valmont held up one pointer finger to make his point. "Fail me and Shendu again, and I will have no choice but to fire you all. And, yes, that includes even you, Tohru. I am sick and tired of all of your miserable failures! Surely I can find better henchmen that can ACTUALLY do their jobs, with all the resources and money that I have at my disposal!"

Ice winced and tried to calm his boss down. Whether it was a smart move or not, that remained to be seen.

"D-Don't worry, V-Man! W-We'll get this one!"

Valmont narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms as he halted his pacing.

"You had better hope so, because I will no longer vouch for you if you come back empty-handed again…"

In Chicago, Illinois –

The Enforcers arrived midday in Chicago. Shendu couldn't provide a precise location, so he gave the Enforcers and Tohru a Talisman locator that had come into his possession back before he was turned into stone. He never gave it to them before because he didn't trust them; they could break the ancient relic. Still, this was their last chance to prove themselves, and they had no inkling of where the Talisman would be in Chicago. They got no more than five minutes of searching when they ran into the Chans…

Uncle was, more or less, having the same predicament that Shendu had. He could only vaguely find the location of the Tiger Talisman. So he travelled to Chicago with Jackie and his aides – and Jade, though she had smuggled herself onto the Section 13 jet because Jackie and Uncle did not approve of her coming along, as usual. The Chans arrived in Chicago at roughly the same time that the Enforcers and Tohru did, and they, too, didn't get to search for long before running into them.

"Time for a Chan WOOPIN'! Hoo-ah!"

Jackie had no time to retaliate: Ice was on him so fast. Ice charged at Chan and got into position for a high jump kick. Jackie tried to catch Ice's foot but ended up missing just barely, and was sent reeling back. Jackie caught himself before he fell backwards, though, and he attempted a counter attack on Ice, now that Ice was a few feet in front of him.

DJ Fist and MC Cobra focused on the aides. One of them couldn't take on the three archaeological aides at once, but two of them very well had a strong chance. Meanwhile, Tohru just watched the Enforcers go all-out on the Chans. He was left holding the Talisman locator, and he didn't want to risk damaging it or leaving it out only for the Chans to take it. But at the same time, Tohru didn't want to leave the whole fight up to the three Enforcers, so Tohru launched himself at Chan while clutching the multi-dragon-headed locator.

"CHAAAN!" Tohru bellowed as he was nearly right on top of Jackie. Jackie used his location to his advantage by moving out of the way of Tohru's 'rampage' and stuck his foot out to trip the sumo. Tohru didn't catch on quick enough and started rolling down the road hill that Jackie had previously had his back to before Tohru attempted to ambush him. Tohru let the locator fly, as he did not wish to crush the relic. Ice, witnessing this, sprinted at the object and hugged the object in midair; Ice had to run briefly as he landed and was pointed downhill. Unlike Tohru, however, Ice could stop himself. Tohru just continued rolling and bumping into walls along the hill like a giant pinball and grunted each time. Hiding the Talisman locator near where he had landed, Ice rushed back up the hill to join DJ Fist and MC Cobra, who now had to deal with Jackie. Uncle, during the whole ordeal, attempted to track down the Talisman using his own locator magic. He did not care to beat the Enforcers senselessly with his fighting style, even though they deserved it. Unfortunately, no one had any luck spotting the Tiger Talisman. Though unbeknownst to everyone, the locator that Shendu had given to the Enforcers was glowing faintly as it pointed in the direction that Tohru was sent rolling… 

Tohru groaned as he got up after lying on a broken-beyond-repair noodle cart for a few minutes. Being sent rolling down a hill and having splintered wood piercing your backside never felt good. Tohru could take the pain, but that didn't mean he didn't feel it.

After removing a fresh bowl of noodles from his head, Tohru turned his eyes to the direction of the sound of wooden sandals clip clopping on sidewalk. Everyone had cleared the area once he had rolled into it, so why would someone be coming back this quickly? If they threatened violence, Tohru would destroy them.

A bald man clad in a gray silk robe rounded the corner. He had his arms behind his back, had a white goatee, and he looked pretty good for his age. The man was definitely old, but, at the same time, he had very few noticeable wrinkles, if any at all. No blemishes on the face or visible skin at all.

Once the man had rounded the corner, he simply stood still and gazed at Tohru, like he was there to just observe the giant, not to fight him or insult him. After a few minutes of being under the 'decrepit' man's gaze, Tohru was feeling very uncomfortable. He wasn't in the mood to be near a pedestrian to begin with! Since it seemed like the old man wasn't about to speak anytime soon, Tohru lashed out at the man verbally.

"WHAT? What are you STARING at? Aren't you going to RUN from me? I could KILL you!"

The man didn't respond to the threat – not verbally, not physically. He was unnaturally calm.

"…"

Tohru growled, but still didn't make a move to bring harm to the man. Then Tohru had a thought: Perhaps the man was the owner of the noodle stand, and was just waiting for an apology for the damage. Maybe even repayment. However, the man didn't appear cross at all. But… what else could the man be after? Who would try to make small-talk with an international criminal, anyway? Perhaps the noodle cart meant a lot to the old man. Tohru could've just made the man's life a whole lot worse by taking out a source of income.

Tohru sighed and tried his best to calm down. Even Tohru couldn't just leave the man and the stand without a tinge of guilt. He bowed as he tried to make amends.

"… I apologize for the damage… I… was not watching where I was going…"

Tohru looked up at the sound of the man laughing softly. The man had a small smirk on his face.

"No… You weren't. You should've been more careful when fighting Mr. Chan! But I digress… My name is Tekumimo. For your sake, call me Teku. I run a tea shop near here. You may have ruined my noodle cart, but I don't hold it against you, given the… circumstances. Please, the least I can do is offer you some of my hospitality."

Tohru blinked in confusion and frowned. He stayed rooted in place.

"But… I should be doing something for you, not the other way around…"

Teku laughed lightly and took Tohru by the hand as he guided Tohru to his shop.

"I told you, you have done nothing wrong… But you were wounded. Please, let me bandage you up and offer you some chamomile tea. You look like you need it."

Tohru was going to pull away, but he decided to let the old man drag him to wherever it was the old man wanted him to go. The sooner he did, the sooner Teku would leave him alone. Tohru could just run away, but he still felt guilty about the whole ordeal. Ironically, Tohru hadn't noticed that the stand had been precariously placed at the bottom of the hill, like it was supposed to break his fall. And he never would make that connection…

When they reached the tea shop after rounding the corner that Teku had rounded, Tohru crouched and entered the quaint shop. Once inside, Tohru could barely stand up to his full height without bumping his head on the ceiling. The place was clearly old and shown much love over the years, but it wasn't very big at all. Tohru wished not to sit on something, lest it broke. After disappearing for a time, Teku came back from a backdoor in the shop with a mat. Teku placed it near Tohru and gestured for Tohru to sit while he went about brewing the tea and fetching the medical aid kit.

Tohru sat down and noticed the back room was open ajar. From what Tohru could see, there was a map or two along the wall and above a desk cluttered with a feather pen and various papers. It wasn't in Tohru's place to pry, but his curiosity got the better of him.

"What's with… the maps…? Aren't you just a shop and noodle stand owner…?"

Teku set the medical kit down and stared at Tohru. With Tohru sitting on the floor, the man appeared as tall as him standing up.

"… Actually, I run a tea shop and noodle stand when I am 'taking a break'. You see, I am searching for a… lost city. For a friend. It is not found on any map, and it is quite old. I only have the vaguest of details about its location." Teku wasn't lying per se, but he wasn't telling the whole truth. And he never would speak the whole truth with Tohru, because Tohru was not an ally. The maps were actually for something else, but Tohru didn't need to know that.

Tohru frowned at Teku's reason behind owning the maps. His frown deepened as Teku walked over to the backdoor and shut it. He didn't wish for Tohru to look too closely at the maps. Tohru ignored the man's suspicious behavior, though, and let the man bandage him up and remove any pieces of wood lodged in his back. As the small pieces were removed and the wounds were examined, Tohru changed the subject.

"… So what is it like... living as a noodle stand and tea shop owner? Do you get many customers? Enough to make your living?"

Teku shrugged. The inquiry wasn't malicious in intent, but he really couldn't say much about his 'life'.

"Mmm… So-so… I am not too popular, but I get enough to make a living, I suppose. How about you, Mr…? I'm sorry, what's your name?"

Tohru grunted as a fairly medium-sized piece of wood was dislodged. Teku applied antiseptic to the wound and bandaged it up.

"My name is Tohru. I… am not a hardworking, honest… man… I work for an international crime syndicate." Tohru paused as he tried to let his words sink in, yet Teku did not show signs of shock or dismay. "… My cohorts and I are currently tracking something here in Chicago, and I got separated from them…"

Teku continued bandaging up all of the little cuts on Tohru's back. He silkily redirected the conversation.

"So… You are a part of a crime syndicate… Are you happy working with them…?"

To say Tohru was taken aback by the question was an understatement. Tohru had half-expected Teku to ask which syndicate. Tohru was floored that Teku made no move to call the police.

"Um… Well… It does keep Mommy living in a cushy lifestyle…"

Teku frowned and paused while applying a bandage to a cut area.

"But are YOU happy…?"

Tohru couldn't respond immediately. He had to think about it carefully before responding; no doubt the man would pester him with more questions if he answered hesitantly.

"I… I am happy that Mommy is happy… So… Yes… And I have a roof over my head... And… And I am well compensated for the things I do…"

Teku's frown deepened and he finished applying the last bandage.

"So… You have no qualms about committing evil acts… Not a shred of guilt…? And what about your cohorts…? Do they respect you and cover you in your clashes with Mr. Chan…?"

Tohru's eyes widened as Teku brought up Jackie Chan again.

"How do you know Jackie Chan?" Tohru half-turned to Teku and glared at the seemingly feeble old man suspiciously.

Teku calmly raised his hands defensively and motioned for Tohru to calm down.

"Now, now, now… I simply heard about Mr. Chan and saw his picture in the newspapers while on my hunt for the lost city. I happened to be passing through San Francisco when I heard about some expedition he had a few months back. Something about a Talisman…?"

Teku half lied. It was true, he had been 'passing through' San Fran when Jackie had returned from collecting the Ox Talisman, but the newspapers didn't cover it in all that much detail. Tohru calmed down as he, too, remembered the expedition had been covered in the local media. But this Teku was becoming increasingly suspicious.

"I am sorry… But… I must be going now. I have a mission to complete."

Tohru got up and turned to make his way for the door. But before he could get out, Teku made a snide comment that threw Tohru into a fit of rage.

"Feh! Who's to say your 'cohorts' will be there, hmm…? I did a little research on Mr. Chan, and he seems to be quite formidable. Perhaps your cohorts have retreated without you! Some crime syndicate, leaving one of their best men behind!"

Tohru clenched his teeth and shook his fists. No matter what, he couldn't and wouldn't bring harm to the old man. Teku had been kind enough to mend him, but he had the audacity to insult the Enforcers? As if to personify the fury within Tohru, the tea pot whistled to alert Teku that the tea was ready.

"GOODBYE!"

Tohru opened the door and squeezed out the front door. Then he slammed the door shut behind him. When Tohru walked out he was met by a black-haired young woman in a blue suit. A badge was pinned to her lapel, and she had this cocky aura about her. The woman had witnessed Tohru climbing out of the little shop and couldn't contain herself. She covered her mouth in an attempt to suppress the laughter, but, in the end, she held her sides as she broke out laughing.

"Mu… Mu phwwwh… Ahahaha! Which way to Weight Watchers? Don't be late! Phwwwh!"

The woman clamped her hand over her own mouth and tried to suppress her giggles, with minimal success. Tohru growled deeply and stormed past the rude woman without saying a word. He failed to notice that she entered the tea shop after he was several feet away from her…

- With the Chans -

After Tohru was sent packing, the Enforcers quickly lost their edge. True, they held their own for a while, but it was obvious that Jackie and his aides were more than they could handle. If it had been just the aides, the Ice Crew would've most certainly won. Yet Jackie Chan was there, and things were looking grim.

Ice, after being launched into yet another wall by Chan, called out to his posse after he retrieved their Talisman locator.

"Retreat! RETREAT!"

Ice leaped over Chan and the Section 13 jet and broke into a sprint. MC Cobra and DJ Fist ran around the jet and followed suit. They couldn't and wouldn't go back to Valmont empty-handed, but they would retreat for now, because there was still plenty of time to find the Tiger Talisman.

Five minutes later, Tohru ascended the street hill to find the Chans and the Enforcers gone. Both sides were off to find the Talisman, obviously, but the Enforcers didn't leave any indication of where they were biding their time. The Section 13 jet was nearby, and it suffered Tohru's wrath as he left huge dents on it. As much as Tohru hated to admit it, right now the mission was more important than he was. Okay, so Tohru refused to admit it. Without him, how could the Enforcers hope to complete the Mission? Chan would overpower them and snatch the Talisman.

Having nowhere else to go, Tohru made his way back to the tea shop. He had been abandoned, and just standing around the Section 13 jet would provoke the Chans to fight him. While he would be up for it to let loose his fury, Tohru would be overpowered alone, though strong he was. Tohru very much doubted Teku would take him back after leaving the way he did, but, again, Tohru didn't have much choice…

At the Tea Shop –

Tohru returned to the shop with his head down in shame. He knocked on the shop door slowly. While it was obviously open, Tohru did not want to intrude if he was not welcome. Hearing a familiar laughter within, Tohru began to have second thoughts about coming here. His fears were realized when that rude woman from before answered the door. Once the woman got an eyeful of Tohru, she burst out laughing and held her sides, just like before. The woman panted because she was laughing so hard.

"Phwwwh…! I didn't know there was a sumo competition in town! Don't you know how to work out? Or are you just lazy? Phwwwh…!

Tohru narrowed his eyes at the woman, but didn't retaliate, lest he provoked her to laugh harder and louder. The woman turned back to Teku and covered her mouth to suppress giggles.

"Phwwwh…! I'll see you later, Teku! I'll let you and your sumo-buddy have a heart-to-heart! Ahahaha!"

Teku merely waved at her and the woman 'squeezed' by Tohru. Taking one look back to laugh at Tohru, the woman then left. Teku motioned for Tohru to come into the shop and close the door.

"You'll have to excuse Lin… She can be quite a handful sometimes. If you knew her and vice versa, you wouldn't be the target of her jabs. She can be quite cruel, but yet quite loyal when you right down to it…"

Tohru sat down on the mat that Teku had set out for him after Teku motioned for him to do so. Teku poured Tohru a cup of chamomile tea. Tohru took it reluctantly. After an extended period of silence, Tohru spoke up.

"What you said before… About the Enforcers…"

Teku raised an eyebrow inquisitively, and then it dawned on Teku that Tohru was speaking about his 'cohorts'. He had expected Tohru to come back, as Mr. Chan was very efficient in pummeling the Dark Hand, or so all those previous battles over Talismans seemed to prove.

"Ah, your 'comrades'… They obviously deserted you. If they hadn't, you wouldn't have come back… So, tell me… What do you think of them now…?"

Tohru looked down dejectedly and didn't take a sip of his tea.

"They… They are not wrong in fearing Chan… He DOES make our Missions very difficult…"

Teku raised an eyebrow and sipped his own tea.

"But how can they possibly justify leaving you behind like this…? They did not even come to search for you…"

The truth was: All evidence of the broken noodle cart had been erased. Even if they had come searching for Tohru, they would've overlooked the tea shop, because, without the noodle cart to halt Tohru, Tohru would have kept on rolling further away from the brawl. Teku had to smirk inwardly at his genius.

"W-Well…" Tohru stammered. "They weren't thinking straight… They had to get away from Chan…"

Teku shrugged and finished his cup of tea.

"Okay… So… They merely saved their own skins…? What about yours? What if Chan were to find you, hmm…?"

Tohru narrowed his eyes and pounded the floor with his fist.

"I WOULD CRUSH HIM!"

Teku shrugged again and poured himself another cup of tea.

"And then Chan would trick you and make you take another fall down the road… Pinball, that's what we call what you experienced. Hehe…"

Tohru growled and crossed his arms.

"…"

Tohru had no retort. Teku went on, despite Tohru's uneasiness to continue this conversation.

"I am not saying you can't regroup with your 'comrades'… I am saying, 'Do you want to?' Quite possibly, this would happen again, and… Well, it could be much, much worse.

Tohru glowered at Teku, but still didn't say anything. Teku continued lecturing.

"I would think that you would want loyal friends. Yes, I said FRIENDS. I would expect, after some time of being part of a team, you would see your 'cohorts' as friends. Friends cover for one another and don't desert you. Friends are loyal, trustworthy. And, as far as I can tell, your 'cohorts' do not meet those requirements. They are naïve children! They have no comprehension of how much pain they caused you by deserting you like this!"

Tohru frowned and dropped his arms.

"That is why I do not give up on them… I have been with the Dark Hand for years now, and the Enforcers have grown on me, as much as it pains me to admit it. Leaving me behind once does not give me the right to betray them…"

Teku sighed wearily and dug into his robes for something. When he pulled it out, Tohru recognized the device as some type of recorder.

"… Lin happened to be passing by when your 'cohorts' were still brawling with the Chans. Lin is a defense attorney, you see, and she is always in the habit of carrying a recorder around with her to listen to Testimonies and take notes. If you really want to know what your 'comrades' think of you… Listen to this."

Teku hit the Play button, and Ice's voice immediately began to filter throughout the shop.

_"Man… Where's Big T? Just when you need him… Bam! He's nowhere to be found! Some 'ally'! Gets pushed down a hill once, and he runs away like a scared bratty kid! WE'RE the ones doin' all the hard work! I don't see Big T helpin' us bringin' da pain to Chan!_

Ice's voice momentarily stopped insulting Tohru as he obviously was doing some quick jabs to Chan or one or more of the aides, but then Ice's voice came back as he called out to his posse.

_ "Yo! Let's split! Big T's not comin' back anytime soon, so let's skedaddle! MOVE!"_

The rest of the recording was filled with punching and kicking noises and the Enforcers running away screaming. Tohru didn't realize it, but he had clenched his teeth and balled his hands into fists at some point. Teku hit the Stop button, and Tohru swiped the recorder from Teku and crushed it with his bare hands. Teku smirked. The deed was done. Tohru didn't need to know that Lin had mimicked Ice's voice and simply recorded her voice over the sound effects of the battle. He never would know now.

"TRAITORS!" Tohru yelled loudly.

Teku raised his hands defensively again and motioned for Tohru to calm down.

"Now, now, now… I know you are furious at your former comrades… But you must understand: They haven't had much 'luck' with battling Mr. Chan lately, even WITH you there to back them up."

Tohru narrowed his eyes and pointed an accusing finger at Teku.

"Do NOT make up excuses for them! YOU heard what they said! I shall crush them!"

Teku raised an eyebrow and inserted his hands into the sleeves of his robe.

"So… You are going to 'crush' the forces of the crime syndicate that you are apart of…? Will that not make you a wanted man within your organization, or, at the very least, someone they cannot trust…?"

Tohru shut his eyes tight and growled. At the top of his lungs, he shouted.

"I DO NOT CARE! As of today, I am QUITTING the Dark Hand!"

Teku feigned skepticism and frowned.

"… But as you said: The Dark Hand supplied you with a paycheck and a roof over your head. And what about your 'Mommy'? Won't she have to give up that cushy lifestyle, if you quit?"

Tohru seemed to calm down as Teku brought this point up. He could live with himself if he quit and had to find some other means to support his own living… But Mommy? No, Tohru didn't like the thought of making Mommy give up her cushy lifestyle.

"W-Well… I… I will… find somewhere else to work… And support Mommy… somehow… I cannot work with people like this! I may be a criminal, but even I cannot close my eyes to this!"

Teku shrugged and lowered his eyebrow.

"Hmm… How about going to work for the Chans…? You might not be as wealthy as you once were, but at least you'd make an honest living for yourself and your Mommy."

Tohru sighed and looked down dejectedly.

"No… I… I cannot… They would never take me in. I have hurt them too badly… I would never gain their trust…"

Teku raised a pointer finger in an as-a-matter-of-factly way and smirked once more.

"Ah, but trust is never easy to gain to begin with. Trust is earned over time. It takes little effort to destroy it, but that will mean that you will have to be extra careful, right…?"

Tohru shook his head and didn't look up.

"… I cannot. There is no way I could redeem myself… They would… They would never give me a chance…"

Teku rubbed his chin thoughtfully and paused. The silence in the air was no longer tense, but the silence was thick. Teku's eyes widened in mock-realization, and he snapped his fingers.

"What are you and the Chans searching for…? Perhaps if you give them the item, they might give you a chance?"

Tohru looked up finally. His eyes were staring at Teku in a bored-like way. There was no way Tohru could find the Talisman on his own before the Chans or his former allies.

"A Talisman… It would have the image of a Tiger on it…"

Teku rubbed his chin again and stood up.

"… Wait here.

Teku walked into the back room and closed the door. He picked a jewelry box from off a shelf and opened it. The Tiger Talisman was cushioned within. Teku smiled deviously and took the Talisman out. Putting the box back on the shelf, Teku opened the door to the back room again, walked out, and shut the door again. Teku walked back over to Tohru, leaned over, and handed Tohru the Talisman, though Tohru didn't take it immediately.

"This has been in my family for generations… I do not even know when it first came into my family's possession." Teku lied. "If it will make Mr. Chan trust you… By all means, please, take it."

Tohru looked into Teku's eyes with hesitation.

"I… I cannot do that to you… If it is a priceless family heirloom…"

Teku shook his head and continued to hold the Talisman out to Tohru.

"You forget… If you do not take this, either your former allies will take it, or the Chans will. If either side gets the Talisman, you won't be able to gain the Chans' trust. So, please… Take it."

Tohru frowned and still had that look of doubt in his eyes. Tohru took the Talisman hesitantly and stood up, towering over Teku once again. He bowed politely and spoke succinctly.

"… Thank you for doing this for me. Again, I apologize for the destruction I caused, and I apologize for not believing you in the first place. In the future I will find some way to repay you… I promise."

Teku held up one hand in resistance and smiled pleasantly.

"Ah, ah. No repayment necessary. Besides… I won't be here for long. I never am. You wouldn't be able to locate me even if you tried. But… thank you for the thought. Now… You best be going. The Chans and your former allies are still out there, and I hope that you find Mr. Chan first…

Teku led Tohru to the door and let Tohru out of the shop. Once outside, Teku called out to Tohru as he made his way back to the Section 13 jet.

"No one's destiny is written in stone! You do well to remember that, Mr. Tohru!

After Tohru was out of ear shot, Teku's fingers drummed together and he smirked wickedly.

"Well… That went better than expected."

With the Chans –

While Tohru was having an epiphany, the Chans were scouring Chicago in search of the Tiger Talisman. Jade had made herself known by that point, and the usual shenanigans occurred.

"Jade… I told you to stay with Captain Black!" Jackie moaned.

Jade shrugged absentmindedly and gave a cheesy grin.

"… But it's more fun to tag along with you, Uncle Jackie! 'Sides! There's no denying that you need MY help!"

Jackie moaned again, and Uncle screamed for Jackie at the end of the block they were on.

"JAAACKIIIEEE! Gather your aides! The Talisman is near! HURRY!"

Jackie pulled out his phone and called for Finn. The aides had split off to make the search easier and go faster.

"… Hello? Finn? Uncle claims we are near the Talisman… Can you bring Ratso and Chow and watch Jade while Uncle and I attempt to retrieve it? Yes… Hold on…" Jackie looked in all directions for a street sign, and then he put the phone back to his ear and gave the aides his location. "Hurry here as fast you can, Uncle won't like to wait around here…"

- With the Enforcers -

The Enforcers were aimlessly wandering about and taking turns holding the Talisman locator. When they reached a certain intersection, Ice took the locator from DJ Fist and held it out in front of him in all directions. It hadn't given any indication of the Talisman's whereabouts up to this point.

"… Stupid piece o' junk… Probably busted…" Suddenly a dragon mouth glowed a fiery orange. Ice smirked and motioned for his boys to follow him. "… I stand corrected…"

- With Tohru -

Tohru finally got back to the Section 13 jet and breathed a sigh of relief. It was still there. He'd have to answer to the dents he made in the jet earlier, but, if he could gain the Chans' trust, it'd be worth it.

Tohru had been standing by the jet for no more than five minutes when the Enforcers rounded a corner and spotted him. They ran over with genuine smiles on their faces.

"Yo, Big T! Wassup, homie?" MC Cobra signaled he wanted a high five, but Tohru only grumbled, which left MC Cobra hanging.

Ice cut to the chase.

"Big T, we need yo' help. See, the Talisman's nearby, and…" Ice looked down at the locator, as it was glowing brightly. "… Uh… REALLY close! And…"

Ice noticed Tohru was giving him a cold stare. Ice winced.

"Look… We WANTED to come and find ya, but the Chans were kickin' our butts! Before we knew it, we were taking off in some random direction! Sorry, brotha!"

Tohru couldn't take it anymore. His face shriveled up angrily, and he bellowed really loudly.

"DO NOT LIE! You ABANDONED me! And you've lost faith in me, haven't you?"

The Ice Crew was confused, and that was an understatement. Ice turned to MC Cobra and DJ Fist for clarification, but they were just as confused as he was. Ice turned back to Tohru and raised an eyebrow.

"Dawg… I dunno where you heard dat trash… But we care about ya, homie! You're da muscle! We'd be nothin' without cha, brotha!

Tohru growled deeply and flung an arm at all three Enforcers, knocking them into a wall several feet away. He did not trust them anymore, so their best course of action would be to just leave. Of course, Ice and his crew never gave up that easily. Ice spat a little blood and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"Dawg… Youse need to be taught some manners! Don't wanna do this, but youse leave us no choice!"

With that, the Enforcers charged at Tohru, and Tohru got into a defensive stance, ready to take them on…

- With the Chans -

The Chans arrived a while after the fighting had commenced. The aides had gotten lost, and had to get directions. Twice. Once there, Jackie left Jade with all three of the aides and duly warned them not to let Jade anywhere near the battle. After that, Uncle and Jackie rushed to where Uncle's locator was leading them. To see Tohru lashing out at the Enforcers and not the jet was… odd.

"Tohru…? Fighting the Enforcers?" Jackie questioned, not ready to enter the fray yet.

Uncle waved a hand dismissively and crossed his arms.

"Hmmmph! Dark Hand Trickery!" Uncle replied. After Ice high jump kicked Tohru in the face and Tohru was sent reeling back into the jet, causing it to be damaged even further, Uncle's eyes widened. "Aiyah! Dark Hand Trickery taking out ride home! Jackie! Stop them!"

Jackie sighed wearily and ran into the thick of battle. While Jackie proceeded to kick the Enforcers' butts, again, Uncle proceeded to track down the Talisman, which was very close by. Realizing that the Dark Hand most likely had it, Uncle pointed his locator at each and every Enforcer, but got nothing. Then Uncle pointed his locator at Tohru, and Uncle's locator went haywire. Uncle grumbled, "Dark Hand Trickery…" once more and proceeded to enter the battle as well.

Ice tackled Jackie just as Uncle entered the battle. MC Cobra and DJ Fist were flanking Tohru, but MC Cobra broke off and turned his attention to the old man.

"Yo, pops! This is a private matter!" MC Cobra sneered.

Uncle was undeterred. With a few lightning fast jabs, Uncle had knocked out MC Cobra in seconds. MC Cobra crumpled, and Uncle moved onto DJ Fist and Tohru, who were pushing one another with all their might. The fact that DJ Fist was holding his own against Tohru was amazing. Though that amazement was short-lived, since Uncle did a few quick jabs to DJ Fist in about the same areas as MC Cobra. Uncle had tapped DJ Fist's shoulder, and, ironically, DJ Fist stopped his wrestling match, turned around, and was out a few seconds later.

Finally reaching his query, Uncle raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"… Uncle does not trust you… But Uncle will hear you out."

Ice had Jackie pinned. But that 'victory' was short-lived as well, because Jackie had Ice get off of him in ten seconds flat with a few rapid kicks to the chest. Ice got off of Chan, clutched his chest in agony, and looked over to his comrades in the hopes that they were faring better than he was. They weren't. Both were out, and the old man was chatting with Tohru like they were buddies.

"Strike Master Ice is in the hizzouse!" Ice yelled as he aimed a kick at the back of Uncle's head. Uncle turned around quick, though, and caught Ice's foot perfectly between his hands and threw Ice at a wall that wasn't too far away. Uncle turned back to Tohru immediately.

"… Uncle is waiting!" Uncle casually nodded.

… Tohru was spooked. He'd never witnessed the old man fight, and now he was glad that he was attempting to switch sides. Uncle was a force to be reckoned with.

"W-Well… I… I would like to change to your side, sir… And I have…" Tohru took the Tiger Talisman out and held it out to Uncle as a peace offering. "… This. I got it from an… old man in a tea shop. If you… If you won't accept me, I'll understand. But still… Whether you accept me or not… I am done working for the Dark Hand."

Ice had quietly snuck up behind Uncle at this point, and he wrapped his arms under Uncle's arms and around Uncle's shoulders.

"Big T! You give me the Talisman, and the geezer won't get hurt!" Ice smirked.

Though just as his kick was thwarted, so this situation was defused as promptly. Uncle smacked Ice's face three times with a fist, and then he quite forcefully stepped on Ice's right foot. Ice let go instantly, and he clutched his foot in agony.

"Uncle will think about it…" Uncle snorted. He took the Talisman from Tohru and examined it carefully. It was authentic. He eyed Tohru carefully and popped an obvious question. "Did the old man say who he was…?"

Tohru nodded and answered truthfully.

"His name was… Teku."

Uncle stiffened at the name, but his face revealed nothing.

"…"

Ice had had enough. The old man frustrated him, and Chan, the younger one, was no picnic either. Rather than fail, Ice pulled out a pistol. Why he hadn't used it before in all the other fights with Chan, he didn't know. But he wasn't going to fail V-Man. Not this time.

"Say, 'Sayonara!' to the old geezer, Chan!" Ice screamed and laughed gleefully as he pointed the gun at Uncle's head. The gun fell apart in his hands, just as Ice squeezed the trigger. Ice had failed to notice purple sparks crackling all over the gun before it had fallen to pieces, not to mention the figure standing atop the rooftop overlooking the whole area. However, Uncle did. The figure left immediately after the gun fell apart.

Looking around and realizing he was outnumbered and clearly outmatched at the moment, Ice smacked MC Cobra and DJ Fist awake so fast. It was almost inhumane at the speed that Ice had his comrades conscious and alert.

"We gotta get outta here, dawgs! NOW!" Ice shouted to the two of them before sprinting out of there like it was a marathon. MC Cobra and DJ Fist got up and paused to look around. Tohru punched his fist into his palm and glowered at the two of them. No other incentive was required, and the two remaining Enforcers ran off after Ice.

Jackie walked over to Uncle and Tohru. He put his hands to his hips and sighed. He didn't know how he'd explain to Captain Black about Tohru's betrayal to the Dark Hand, but Uncle obviously trusted Tohru, or Uncle would be screaming at him.

"I need to call Finn…" Jackie stated. Pointing at Tohru, he went on. "If you harm one hair on Uncle's head, you will not be welcome to come back with us…"

Jackie walked away to make the call. Uncle hadn't heard a word of it, because he was busy investigating the gun that had mysteriously fallen apart. He knelt low to the ground and picked up a foreign substance: A very miniscule layer of purple dust. Rubbing it between his fingers, Uncle frowned.

"Uncle is thinking that was no accident…"

Looking to the rooftop that the mysterious figure had been on earlier, Uncle continued to frown. If that person had been an ally, they would've stuck around. But they didn't, and that bugged the heck out of Uncle.

Tohru finally spoke up after Uncle's brief 'investigation'.

"S-So… Do you know who would've saved you…?"

Uncle shrugged and didn't take his eyes off that rooftop.

"… Uncle is not saying 'no'. Uncle is not saying 'yes'. Uncle is saying that there is no confirming identity of 'hero'…"

Jackie came back to Uncle and Tohru after wrapping up the call with Finn.

"They'll be here in a few minutes…" Jackie turned to Tohru after saying this. "Tohru, I wanted to thank you for assisting in the fight against the Enforcers… But I can't say I completely trust you yet. Do you know where the Talisman is…?"

Uncle held up the Talisman, and Jackie's eyes widened.

"Tohru gave Uncle Talisman. Uncle is still skeptic of Tohru's motives, but Talisman is genuine."

Jackie nodded at Uncle and turned back to Tohru.

"Well… It would be unfair to leave you here… We'll give you a ride back to San Francisco, to Section 13 actually. Once there, I will let Captain Black deal with you. You ARE a criminal, after all. One fight against your former cohorts does not change that."

Tohru nodded in understanding. When the aides arrived with Jade, Jackie and Uncle explained the situation to them. Jackie and Uncle questioned Tohru about the dents in the jet, and Tohru was honest about it. He did it out of a fit of rage, before his change of mind. They all accepted that, some more grudgingly than others, and they were all off to Section 13…

As the jet took off and became a smaller and smaller dot to the naked eye, a seemingly young man in a gray suit and gray cape came out into the open. He wore a gray hat and a white mask that covered his eyes and nose, but not the lower portion of his face. Without saying a word, the man walked away. Teku had been the one to save Uncle's life, and he didn't know why he bothered to do so…

- At the Dark Hand Headquarters -

Valmont was on the phone with his Enforcers. After listening to them report, he eyed his hand and sighed.

"… So Tohru has turned against us… What a pity… I was going to bring a new hitman in anyway, but… now it looks like we seriously need him…

Valmont chuckled at the Enforcers' worry of being let go as henchmen. He shook his head and eased their fears.

"No, you shan't be fired today, though I seriously considered it… You shall be under a new lieutenant during the next Mission, and I expect you all to behave.

Ice asked who the new 'lieutenant' would be. Valmont smirked.

"… A mercenary by the name of Hak Foo."

**And so another Chapter comes to a close… Let me know what you think. Compared to the last Chapter, there wasn't much of a 'rush' to this one. Sure, some important events occur, but the last Chapter's going to be hard to beat in terms of how much 'fun' it was to write.**

** Anyway, I thought I'll incorporate a new ending thing here. After a Chapter is finished, I'll be going through a 'mailbag' of Reviews. I was inspired to do this by an author by the name of TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne; I have a lot of respect for this author, he/she writes good stories, and I'd recommend them to you if you don't mind branching out and reading other sections of entertainment on this site. Sadly, there won't be many Reviews to go through for the first few times, but I hope that'll change over time as the story progresses. I do this not for myself, but to personally thank each and every one of you, because I wouldn't be writing this if it weren't for your encouragement to continue on. If you don't want to be acknowledged, just say so. **

** In the future, I'll actually be referencing your particular Review. Since I'm incorporating this now, I'll just refer to you, the reader. If you want to ask questions, don't hesitate to. But do know that I may not answer. After all, I like spoilers, but even I don't want to spoil any surprises we have in store for you, if the question turns out to be long term, though it may not appear to be. **

**WerecatWarrior – First, I want to apologize for taking a year to update. To avoid making the same apology over and over, I'll say that apology is extended to everyone who is a fan of this story. I am sorry if you lost interest in this story, but know that the offer to do artwork for Jackie Chan Adventures: Altered still stands, if you wish to do it. I was glad to please you with the first couple of Chapters, and hope that you find the latest updates to be even more satisfying. A year away seems to have improved my writing a bit.**

** Zim'sMostLoyalServant – Though you're a one time Reviewer, I still want to apologize if you lost interest in JCA: A. I know I took a year to update, and I know the quality at first may have not been up to snuff, but I would like to think the quality's improved. Feel free to Review again, if you're still reading! Your opinion is valued just as much as everyone else's. **

** kwak73 – Just like ZMLS, you're a one time Reviewer. I hope you're still enjoying the story, if you're still reading it. **

** Eduard Kassel – Thanks for being the most detailed Reviewer! I'm sorry if you've lost interest, but I would very much appreciate your opinion, if you're still reading. It's not necessary, but I wouldn't mind hearing your opinion of the latest updates. **

** nightmaster000 – Like the other one-time Reviewers, I hope you're still enjoying the story. I'm not one to dabble in romance, so I'm sorry if that makes you lose interest. Maybe Jamey Gamer will convince me to slip some hints of romance in, but at this point I'm not sure.**

** D.J. Scales – Thanks for taking the time to Review the latest updates! It's good to hear this story entertains you, because that's what I, and Jamey Gamer, aim for. Stay tuned, because we're just getting started…**

** Alana Fox – Thanks for being a Reviewer to the latest updates! Your kind words are appreciated! Stay tuned!**

** Jamey Gamer – Well… It appears we're doing a fine job. *Shakes Jamey Gamer's hand back* **


	8. The Dog and the Pig

_Previously, on Jackie Chan Adventures…_

_ "Fail me and Shendu again, and I will have no choice but to fire you all. And, yes, that includes even you, Tohru. I am sick and tired of all of your miserable failures! Surely I can find better henchmen that can ACTUALLY do their jobs, with all the resources and money that I have at my disposal!"_

_"WHAT? What are you STARING at? Aren't you going to RUN from me? I could KILL you!"_

_The man didn't respond to the threat – not verbally, not physically. He was unnaturally calm._

_"…"_

_"So… You are going to 'crush' the forces of the crime syndicate that you are apart of…? Will that not make you a wanted man within your organization, or, at the very least, someone they cannot trust…?"_

_Tohru shut his eyes tight and growled. At the top of his lungs, he shouted._

_"I DO NOT CARE! As of today, I am QUITTING the Dark Hand!"_

_Teku shrugged and lowered his eyebrow._

_"Hmm… How about going to work for the Chans…? You might not be as wealthy as you once were, but at least you'd make an honest living for yourself and your Mommy."_

_Tohru sighed and looked down dejectedly._

_"No… I… I cannot… They would never take me in. I have hurt them too badly… I would never gain their trust…"_

_Teku raised a pointer finger in an as-a-matter-of-factly way and smirked once more._

_"Ah, but trust is never easy to gain to begin with. Trust is earned over time. It takes little effort to destroy it, but that will mean that you will have to be extra careful, right…?"_

_Tohru shook his head and didn't look up._

_"… I cannot. There is no way I could redeem myself… They would… They would never give me a chance…"_

_Teku walked into the back room and closed the door. He picked a jewelry box from off a shelf and opened it. The Tiger Talisman was cushioned within. Teku smiled deviously and took the Talisman out. Putting the box back on the shelf, Teku opened the door to the back room again, walked out, and shut the door again. Teku walked back over to Tohru, leaned over, and handed Tohru the Talisman, though Tohru didn't take it immediately._

_"This has been in my family for generations… I do not even know when it first came into my family's possession." Teku lied. "If it will make Mr. Chan trust you… By all means, please, take it."_

_Valmont was on the phone with his Enforcers. After listening to them report, he eyed his hand and sighed._

_"… So Tohru has turned against us… What a pity… I was going to bring a new hitman in anyway, but… now it looks like we seriously need him…_

_Valmont chuckled at the Enforcers' worry of being let go as henchmen. He shook his head and eased their fears._

_"No, you shan't be fired today, though I seriously considered it… You shall be under a new lieutenant during the next Mission, and I expect you all to behave._

_Ice asked who the new 'lieutenant' would be. Valmont smirked._

_"… A mercenary by the name of Hak Foo."_

- At the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol -

Jackie and Tohru arrived close to Amsterdam around noon. The Dog Talisman had activated somewhere close to there, and Jackie and Tohru were sent to retrieve it.

Once they had gotten back to San Francisco after retrieving the Tiger Talisman, Tohru had been taken to Captain Black. Captain Black, rather than locking Tohru up, decides to put Tohru on parole in Uncle's Shop. In part to serve out his sentence for all the crimes he had committed in the past, and in part to thank him for helping them in securing the Tiger Talisman. For about a week, Tohru aided in cleaning the Shop and doing menial labor. Because Uncle could not give Tohru much of a paycheck, Tohru was allowed to sleep in the guest room upstairs. Uncle was loath to allow him to do so at first, but Tohru began to prove himself as he did a fine job at keeping the Shop sparkly clean.

The Dog Talisman had activated a week after Tohru's parole sentence had begun. Jackie consulted Captain Black about letting Tohru come along; helping to secure the rest of the Talismans would definitely make Tohru more trustworthy, and Captain Black agreed. Without further delay, Tohru and Jackie hopped on a plane and were off to Amsterdam.

Now they were at the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Unfortunately for Jackie and Tohru, the Dark Hand had stowed away on the very same plane as Jackie and Tohru's. Not because the Dark Hand was tight on money, but because that was the way Hak Foo had them go about it. Launching a sneak attack on Chan at the airport was important to Hak Foo; because he needed to gauge Chan's fighting skills. If they had flown to Amsterdam on a private jet, there was no guarantee that the Dark Hand would arrive in Amsterdam before Chan.

As Jackie and Tohru proceeded through Passport Control and onto Baggage Claim, they failed to notice a man wearing a blue tank top following them like a ninja, hiding behind corners. Once Jackie and Tohru arrived at the baggage belt, he stood a good distance behind them, people passing him.

The red-haired Hak Foo grinned maliciously and yelled out, "Angry Crow takes flight!"

Jackie and Tohru both turned at the sudden, odd exclamation. Jackie's eyes widened as he realized a freaky red-haired man was lunging at him.

"Wha!"

Jackie had no time to dodge, and no time to shield himself. Hak Foo tackled Chan fiercely and knocked over Tohru, who was right behind Jackie, as a result. Jackie lay on top of Tohru in a daze, and the people close by were forced to spread out, as some people nearly got crushed by Tohru.

Hak Foo leaped off of Chan and Tohru and dusted himself off lightly. Evidently, if he had wanted to, Hak Foo could've killed Jackie Chan without too much effort. So far Jackie Chan was a disappointment. Not wanting the Enforcers to get in his way in his first battle with Jackie Chan, Hak Foo had ordered them to commence the search for the Talisman, as that WAS their job. Hak Foo felt his job was to eliminate Chan, who was a thorn in the Dark Hand's side.

Jackie, after shaking his head wildly to get rid of the stars in his eyes, noticed that Hak Foo was standing on one leg and poised to attack again. This time, he felt he was ready, though.

"Wha! I'm sorry! But you must have the wrong-"

"KANGAROO KICK!

Jackie didn't even get to finish his sentence. Hak Foo's foot had flown at him, and it didn't seem to have any specific target as it connected with Jackie's chest and Jackie was sent flying onto the conveyor belt for the luggage. Hak Foo quickly did a backflip to remain a fair distance from the still-collapsed form of Tohru, cracked his neck left and right, and balled his hands into fists.

"You are Jackie Chan… You seek the Talismans which do not BELONG to you! I am here to put an end to that…"

Jackie got up again and rubbed his now-sore head.

"And you are…?"

There seemed to be a glint in Hak Foo's eyes as he replied quite seriously.

"The last human being you will ever see… I am Hak Foo. I am the Black Tiger, and you are my prey! Black Tiger crushes field mouse!"

Hak Foo charged at Jackie again, but this time Jackie was ready for Hak Foo. Though woozy, Jackie forcibly manhandled Hak Foo and quickly tossed him onto the conveyor belt, which was now running again to deliver another load of luggage. Hak Foo scrambled to get off, but the conveyor belt pushed him back into the storage area with some luggage that no one ever claimed. Tohru was sitting up at this point, holding his aching head.

"Up, up, up, Tohru! We must go, now!"

Jackie hurried Tohru and took all the luggage for him. Tohru was up on his feet slowly, and then he ran after Jackie as quickly as possible. A few minutes later, Hak Foo crawled out of the storage area he had been forced into and growled, not seeing Jackie Chan or his new sumo friend anywhere. After intimidating a few pedestrians, the airport security finally showed up and attempted to bring Hak Foo into custody. Of course, Hak Foo had the entire squad that had come to get him out in no more than two minutes, and then he was off to stalk his prey, which had escaped…

Jackie and Tohru, in the meantime, did their best to put as much distance between them and Hak Foo as possible. Just as they were about to turn another corner in that huge complex, he had Tohru stand against the wall as he heard Ice's voice smugly talking to his posse just around the corner. Luckily, they were just standing at the corner, no more than a few feet away from Jackie and Tohru, and they had no idea that Jackie was listening in on them.

"So… We got the info we needed, now all we's got's to do is wait for Hak to get back from pummeling Chan…"

Ice snickered after he had said this. MC Cobra scratched the back of his head and frowned.

"You sure that windmill's the place…? I mean… If we's wrong about this…"

Ice shook his head and held up a map.

"Look, that one burly French guy SAID that was the place… He's an expert on folklore around here and…" Ice's cell phone rang in his pocket. "… Hold up."

As Ice got on the phone with Valmont and became momentarily distracted, Jackie turned to Tohru and spoke in a hushed whisper as he pointed at one of the entrances to the huge complex. He handed their luggage over to Tohru.

"Get on a shuttle. I'll join you as soon as I get the map from them and give them the slip…"

Tohru nodded in affirmation and tried to make his way stealthily to the shuttles out front, not wanting to bring the Ice Crew's attention onto himself. Jackie proceeded to round the corner, rudely push MC Cobra and DJ Fist out of the way and snatch the map from Ice, just as the call was ending. He dashed away and ran further into the humongous airport, hoping to stall for Tohru.

Ice, stunned after what had just happened, growled and hissed into the phone.

"I'll call ya back, V-Man… Somethin' just came up…"

Clicking the phone shut, Ice pocketed it and turned to glare at his cronies.

"What was that? Chan just waltzed up and you just LET him grab the map?"

MC Cobra and DJ Fist rubbed the back of their necks ashamedly.

"We were caught off guard… Sorry." Cobra winced.

Ice shook his head and turned into the direction that Chan had just run. He couldn't spot Chan's blue shirt or beige pants, but he could see Hak Foo's trademark red hair as Hak Foo was sifting through the crowd angrily.

Ice called out to Hak Foo as all three of them ran through the crowd and over to him.

"Yo! Chan just gave us the slip… You seen him?"

Hak brought up a hand and clenched it.

"He was obtaining his possessions when I found him… Then he cowardly ran away… Did you retrieve the information that we require?"

Ice winced and shook his head slowly.

"W-We did… But then Chan stole it. Like he was spyin' on us…"

Hak Foo spotted Chan poking his head out behind a bookstand that was just outside some bookstore or library, just by chance. He snarled and ran at the bookshelf.

"Lion stalks its prey!"

Ice and his boys just looked at each other in confusion. They hadn't seen Chan, but obviously Hak Foo had. They ran after Hak.

Jackie, after swiping the map, had expertly weaved his way through the crowd and hid behind a bookshelf. While not tall enough to conceal all of him, the bookshelf remained to be an excellent temporary hiding spot. He could keep an eye on Tohru, as he made his way to one of the shuttles, and on the Dark Hand, who had now all gathered together and were conversing. However, just as he turned to check on Tohru's progress, he could hear Hak Foo yelling out something eccentric. He had been spotted.

Sprinting as far as his legs could carry him, Jackie turned his head back to notice that Hak Foo had recklessly knocked the bookshelf over. Hak Foo had been hoping to crush Chan, obviously. But Hak Foo quickly noticed Jackie was making a run for it already. Wasting no time, Hak Foo broke into a full fledge sprint as well. The Ice Crew tried to keep up.

Jackie desperately tried to sink into a crowd of people as soon as he rounded a corner. He did his best to avoid being rude, and ran through the sea of people like he was in a maze. Hak Foo rounded the corner approximately thirty seconds after Jackie had been absorbed into the crowd, and he only caught the briefest sight of his prey making his way to another corner several feet away. Hak Foo rudely shoved his way through the sea of people going all directions and did his best to catch up to Chan. However, some people made it more difficult than others, and Jackie once again had a head start as he rounded the corner he was attempting to reach.

Jackie rounded the second corner and noticed an open elevator slowly closing. Jackie made it just in time and held the elevator open. It was crowded, and with all the people inside they'd be like sardines in a can, but he slipped inside. The elevator door closed just as Hak Foo had rounded the corner that Jackie had. Looking wildly about for that mouse-man, Hak Foo could not see a hint of him. Hak Foo's eyes turned to the elevator and they widened. He was in enough trouble already, so what was the point of being cautious? Hak Foo ran over to the elevator and pried the elevator doors open with his bare hands. Leaping onto the elevator wires inside, Hak Foo began to climb one of the wires like a rope. The elevator had stopped at the next floor, so Hak Foo would have to wait, but it would be worth the wait. Or so he thought. The Ice Crew simply stood in front of the open elevator shaft with eyes opened wide.

All the people who had piled into the elevator all piled out on the second floor, and there were people on the second floor waiting to go down. Unfortunately for Hak Foo, as soon as they were all in, the elevator started to go down. Hak Foo attempted to scale back down to the first floor, but the elevator was too fast for him. Luckily for Hak Foo, there was a basement, and that's where he fell to, instead of being crushed by the elevator. The Ice Crew had just briefly spotted Hak Foo as he was forced down by the elevator, and they had to wince as he fell. Chan had gone to the next level up, obviously, and they were probably too late to be chasing after him now. The Ice Crew had no choice but to go back to that man and get another map…

Jackie had stayed on the second floor until the Ice Crew had left the main area leading to the front entrance where Tohru had gone to secure a shuttle. While he did not wish to attract attention, Jackie could not waste time. There was no telling where Hak Foo was, and he did wish to get out of the airport in one piece. Hopping over the railing and landing on his feet on the first floor, Jackie made his way back to Tohru. Fortunately, Tohru had managed to persuade the driver to wait for him, and once Jackie was on the shuttle, they were off to Amsterdam proper…

Jackie and Tohru, after reaching Amsterdam, took public transportation to the general area of the windmill depicted on the map. And after getting some local direction, they found themselves at the site. It was an old windmill, and clearly loved over many, many years.

Jackie wasted no time and turned to Tohru.

"Tohru… I need you to stand guard outside. The Dark Hand is here in the Netherlands. I do not know if they have a backup map, so it is vital that you stay out here and guard in case they arrive before I've secured the Talisman."

Tohru nodded once again in affirmation.

"No worries, Mr. Chan… They shall not get inside…"

Jackie patted Tohru's arm in thanks and smiled. He made his way into the windmill. Half an hour later, after sifting through the boxes at the highest level of the windmill, Jackie 'struck gold'.

"Who is that doggy in the window…?"

Jackie chuckled at his own joke as he held up the Dog Talisman proudly.

Outside, the Enforcers and Hak Foo arrived at the site. However, they approached the windmill from the opposite direction, so Tohru did not spot them coming. Hak Foo held up the Talisman locator, given to them by Shendu, and stuck it in his belt after it glowed, confirming that the Talisman was in the windmill. Turning to the Enforcers, Hak Foo cracked his fists one by one and stared at the Ice Crew as he issued a single command.

"Take the giant… Chan is mine."

The Enforcers nodded silently. MC Cobra and Ice made their way to Tohru on one side of the windmill, and DJ Fist the other. Hak Foo scaled the windmill, in the meantime.

Tohru was the first one to be jumped.

"Strikemaster Ice is in the hizzouse!"

Ice proclaimed as he leaped at Tohru with a foot outstretched. Tohru was expecting the Enforcers to assault the windmill, and he caught Ice's leg and sent Ice flying into DJ Fist, who Tohru suspected would be behind him. Ice and DJ Fist moaned as they rubbed their heads. Tohru turned to MC Cobra, who had tried to sneak up on him while his back was turned flinging Ice into DJ Fist. MC Cobra yelped as Tohru pulled him into a great bear hug. That kind of bone-crushing hug reminded MC Cobra of the 'good ol' days', when Valmont made Tohru hug them in this fashion to punish them. MC Cobra shrieked and was let go moments after being held that tightly. He didn't dare move, lest Tohru was in a mood for another one. Unfortunately, Ice and DJ Fist hadn't had enough pain yet, and they were just getting ready to attack when Tohru turned back around to them. Just as they charged at Tohru, Tohru grabbed them and pulled them into his chest. DJ Fist and Ice screamed loudly as Tohru gave them a bone-crushing hug, just like he had MC Cobra. The two were let go after a few moments, and they crumpled to the ground, not daring to make a move, just like MC Cobra.

While all this was going on, Hak Foo had ascended to the highest level of the windmill and had crawled through the open window and into the room where Chan was admiring the Dog Talisman. Jackie was just about to head back down when he bumped into Hak Foo, who was blocking the doorway. Hak Foo had his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed at Jackie. Jackie yelped in surprise.

"Wha!"

Jackie lost his grip on the Dog Talisman and caught it again before it dropped to the floor. He thought he'd pocket the Talisman, but Hak Foo had other ideas, obviously.

"Monkey snatches banana!

Hak Foo snatched the Talisman and clutched it. Then, using that fist holding the Talisman, Hak Foo made to punch Chan in the face.

"Gorilla punch!"

Jackie caught that punch, fortunately, and he slugged Hak Foo with a punch of his own. Hak Foo reeled further into the doorway and perilously close to the steps, but managed to stop. Unfortunately for Hak Foo, Jackie grabbed both sides of the doorway and swung both feet up to connect with Hak Foo's chin. This caused Hak Foo to fall down the stairs and fling the Talisman into the air on accident. Jackie grabbed the Talisman in midair and looked around the room quick. He spotted the open window, which Hak Foo had come through, and bolted for it, hopping onto a passing blade of the windmill, and then using momentum to bounce off the building and land safely on his feet on the ground. He looked at the Talisman in his hand and smiled.

"Whew… I think it's finally…"

Hak Foo leaped out the second level window and lunged for Chan.

"Angry Crow takes flight!"

Jackie's eyes widened and he rolled away just in time for Hak Foo to smash his foot into the ground, leaving a fairly sizeable 'crater' with just that one foot. Hak Foo growled lowly and had his arms up and in an attack stance. Jackie pocketed the Talisman before it fell into the wrong hands again and put up his dukes.

Tohru stomped over to Hak Foo. He had heard Hak Foo's eccentric cry and he would not allow harm to come to Mr. Chan now. Hak Foo turned around immediately and was about to beat the giant back when Tohru felt a giant shove behind him. Tohru collapsed on Hak Foo, and it was with just enough force to knock Hak Foo out. Unfortunately for the Dark Hand, Tohru was heavy enough to shatter the multi-dragon-headed relic. Jackie blinked and stared. The Ice Crew, though miniscule in comparison to Tohru, had managed to come together and knock the sumo down. Jackie still had his dukes up, and he tried to look menacing to the Enforcers, who were obviously battered from an earlier beating by Tohru.

_A hug probably did them in… _

Jackie reasoned. He spoke to the Enforcers, and hoped to sound intimidating. He truly didn't want to be violent, but they still outnumbered him, even if they were battered and bruised.

"You want some more…?"

The Enforcers shrank back and stepped away from Jackie. Ice held up his hands defensively.

"NO MORE!" Ice shrieked. Then the Enforcers proceeded to run away. Jackie chuckled and let down his guard. Tohru groaned and got up off of Hak Foo, who was knocked out cold. The broken Talisman locator went unnoticed by Jackie and Tohru.

"Ugh… What happened…?"

Jackie smiled and patted Tohru as he motioned to start walking away.

"The Enforcers… Let's get back to the airport and make arrangements to get back home to San Francisco… We must get this Talisman back in the Vault as soon as possible."

Jackie said, holding up the Dog Talisman. Tohru nodded, and they made their way back to the airport…

- At the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol -

While Jackie had been eager to secure a flight home, and quickly, fate seemed to have other ideas. As fate would have it… Uncle called.

"Hello? Uncle?" Jackie inquired.

"Jackie!" Uncle's voice was full of false happiness. But he cut to the chase. "Third to last Talisman has activated. Pig Talisman is somewhere in Bavaria. Did you secure Dog Talisman…?"

Jackie nodded and flipped the Dog Talisman into the air like a coin.

"Yes, Uncle… I was going to return the Dog Talisman to the Vault in Section 13, though… I've done nothing but travel the past few days, Uncle!"

Uncle's snappy voice filled Jackie's ear.

"We do not know Pig Talisman's power! You want dark forces to claim Talisman, no? THEN GO TO BAVARIA! Uncle will meet you there."

Jackie's eyes widened.

"But, Uncle…" Jackie heard the phone hang up. He sighed and turned to Tohru. With a small grin, he said, "Change of plans, Tohru… We're going to Bavaria to claim the Pig Talisman…"

Tohru nodded tiredly and let Jackie make the necessary preparations for their flight to Bavaria…

- In Bavaria -

Surprisingly, it didn't take much at all to secure a private jet. With Section 13's connections, Jackie and Tohru arrived in Bavaria in no time; they left the Netherlands within an hour of Uncle's call. And within an hour of waiting in Bavaria, Uncle arrived. … With the aides and Jade.

Jackie slapped his forehead as Jade had forcefully made herself apart of a hunt for another Talisman. He really didn't want her getting hurt, but she remained ignorant about the danger she was in.

"Jade… I want you to stay with Finn, Ratso, and Chow for the remainder of your time here in Bavaria… The Dark Hand has a new hitman, and he's very dangerous." Jade harrumphed, and Jackie ignored her. Turning to Finn, Jackie said, "Tohru, Uncle, and I should manage on our own. But if we need you, we'll call."

Finn nodded sympathetically. Mr. Chan was very kind in wanting to protect his niece, and Finn knew they would be compensated for just babysitting. However, he had a sneaking suspicion that they would be doing more than that on this trip.

"No worries, Mr. Chan. So… What's the plan for today? You, Unc, and Big T are gonna just hunt for the Talisman, fine, but when should we meet up again? And where would you like us to make reservations? Obviously we might need to stay a night here in Bavaria, 'cause of the lateness of the hour."

Jackie rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Finn brought up a good point. However, if they found the Talisman, they would need to hurry and leave Bavaria before the Dark Hand got their grubby hands on the Dog and Pig Talismans.

"Hmm… Meet us at City Hall in… two hours? That should give us enough time to have an investigation and get a better picture of what we'll be doing today… We may not have to make reservations. Maybe. As for what to do until then… Feel free to wander around and see the sites. We're in Germany, and I'm sure Jade's thrilled to visit Germany!"

Jackie beamed as he had his hands at his hips. He was looking at Jade as he said this, and she only scowled in reply. Uncle broke up the chitchat and brought out his Talisman locator.

"Then it settled! Let us get cracking!"

The Chans went their separate ways…

Bavaria was festive, and for good reason: Christmas was only a week away. Bavaria was always decorated colorfully this time of year, but Christmas wasn't the only thing being celebrated in the little Bavarian town. Apparently, they were celebrating the town's birthday that day, and pigs were everywhere.

Jackie and Tohru were making their way for City Hall. Jackie had given the Dog Talisman to Uncle for safe-keeping. While Uncle split off from them to try and find the Pig Talisman with his Talisman locator, Jackie thought it would be wise to ask the mayor about the town's association with the pig. After all, with all the festivities going on and pig decorations lying around, it would be tough seeking out the Pig Talisman. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack. … Okay, more like finding a needle in a really big mountain of hay.

Once Jackie secured an appointment with the mayor, the interview began right away…

With the Enforcers –

The Dark Hand didn't arrive in Bavaria until the Chans' hunt for the Pig Talisman was well underway. They got chewed out by Valmont for losing yet another Talisman, but Valmont was satisfied that they had a way to redeem themselves when the Pig Talisman activated in Bavaria. However, once word of the broken Talisman locator had reached Shendu, the stone dragon vented angrily at Valmont and demanded the Pig and Dog Talismans as compensation for losing that relic. Unlike the Chans, now they didn't have a Talisman locator; nor did they attempt to hound anyone about all the pig decorations. They just didn't care. Their job, they felt, was to locate the Pig Talisman and leave, not socialize.

Hak Foo split off from the Enforcers on a hunch. He suspected checking out the town's chocolate factory might be a good place to start. Hak didn't know why, it was just gut instinct. The Enforcers, meanwhile, would look around. If they found anything suspicious, they'd alert Hak Foo right away. Until then, they wandered aimlessly…

- With Jackie and Tohru -

"… And after starting up the town's main export, Grandpapa Ferkel started becoming more… withdrawn. Though no one is quite sure why. Before he retired, Grandpapa Ferkel always claimed that the Pig was his 'Lucky Animal'. Again, no one is quite sure why. Grandpapa Ferkel was always a man of mystery… A generous and kind-hearted man, but he always had an air of mystery about him…" The mayor closed his eyes and smiled proudly as he straightened his black tuxedo. The mayor wore a black tuxedo with 'tails', a white dress shirt and bowtie, a black top hat, and a blue monocle.

Jackie rubbed his chin and smiled.

"Maybe the Pig was lucky because of a magical… Pig Talisman? Perhaps that was the secret to his successful confectionaries?"

The mayor blinked in confusion and stared at Jackie.

"Eh?"

Jackie rubbed the back of his neck and grinned.

"Ehm… Never mind. Tell me… Would it be okay to tour the factory…? We'd very much like to see it!"

Jackie motioned to Tohru, who grinned down at the mayor. The mayor chuckled and nodded.

"Why, of course, Mr. Chan! Grandpapa Ferkel would welcome you, and so will I!"

And so, Jackie and Tohru made their way to the chocolate factory, hoping to find the Pig Talisman somewhere within its walls, not knowing that Hak Foo would be there…

- With Uncle -

Truthfully, Uncle was very, very happy. He had read up on the Dog Talisman before journeying to Bavaria. It was half the reason he had come to Bavaria, after all. He did want to help locate the Pig Talisman, that was true, but he also wanted to feel the power of the Dog Talisman. It granted immortality to its user, and with it tied around his neck… Uncle felt youthful again, as youthful as he did back in the days when he and Teku were friends and living in Shanghai.

Uncle was energetic now, moreso than he had been in a very long time. That's why when the Enforcers bumped into him in the market, Uncle felt completely safe.

"Yo, Oldster! Time for some payback! Hoo-wah!" Ice proclaimed gleefully. With MC Cobra and DJ Fist at his side, there was no way that decrepit old man would knock any of them out. Maybe if they were fighting him one at a time, like in the battle for the Tiger Talisman, but not now. … Or so they thought.

Uncle got into a fighting stance and motioned for the Ice Crew to bring it on.

"You want a piece of Uncle…?"

Ice nodded and smirked.

"Yeah… I'll take yo' head, MC Cobra will take yo' arms, and DJ Fist gets everything else!"

The Ice Crew all got in fighting stances and surrounded Uncle, making a triangle around him in the process. Uncle did not mind as he was about to seriously pummel them. Uncle allowed the Enforcers the courtesy of making the first move. MC Cobra went for the first strike, a simple swing with an arm. Uncle caught it and threw MC Cobra down on the ground in front of him. Standing on top of MC Cobra and making Cobra wheeze with the pressure put on his chest, Uncle hopped over DJ Fist, who came charging at him, like it was a game of leap frog. DJ Fist stumbled over MC Cobra and landed on top of him. Ice growled and charged at Uncle while his back was turned. Uncle had to pause to put the Dog Talisman back under his shirt to conceal it. But then he turned back around to take Ice head-on. Every punch and kick Ice threw, Uncle blocked with his hands, wrists, elbows, and arms. Suddenly feeling tuckered out after dishing out many, many lightning fast moves, which were all blocked by Uncle, Ice found himself on top of his cronies after being flicked in the forehead by Uncle. The flick was quick and almost painless, but there was still a throbbing in Ice's head as the Ice Crew lay there, seemingly defeated.

Uncle crossed his arms and harrumphed.

"Is that all you have…? Uncle is just warming up!"

All three Enforcers growled deeply and got up simultaneously. It was strange to watch, but they obviously hadn't had enough punishment yet. Uncle didn't let them make a move this time. He had now 'stretched' and was ready to see what he could do feeling this springy.

Squatting slightly, Uncle made a sweeping kick that covered all three Enforcers. Fortunately for the Enforcers, it was fairly predictable, and they all managed to leap into the air to dodge the sweeping kick. Unfortunately for them, Uncle sprung up and mach punched MC Cobra in the face, then did a high jump kick to the right side of Ice's head. That left Uncle and DJ Fist in the air, and Uncle quickly rectified that with many rapid punches to DJ Fist's chest. The Enforcers were caught off guard by Uncle's sudden burst of energy, but they weren't about to give up just yet. MC Cobra and DJ Fist stood up after being forced to kneel in pain and Ice shook his head wildly. DJ Fist and MC Cobra lunged at Uncle at the exact same time and collided when Uncle leaped back and performed a double back flip. Ice leaped over MC Cobra and DJ Fist as they reoriented themselves, but was caught off guard when Uncle, who had ended up landing on his hands, leaped forward and kicked him in the chest with both feet. Ice was sent flying over MC Cobra and DJ Fist again and sent crashing into a stand several feet behind them. MC Cobra got up and rushed at Uncle, but Uncle dodged Cobra by leaping very high into the air, higher than he ever had in a very long time. MC Cobra collided with a crowd of people, who were trying to keep away from all the fighting. DJ Fist was unfortunate enough to get up just when Uncle's foot, precariously aimed at DJ Fist's skull, came smashing down on him. DJ Fist was forced back to the ground, very close to being unconscious now.

Uncle moved off of DJ Fist and ran over to Ice, who had started to rush at Uncle again after recovering from being sent into that stand, which resulted in Uncle and Ice meeting each other halfway. Ice went for a sucker punch to Uncle's face, but Uncle shifted his head just a little, and that was enough to dodge the fist. Uncle used his knee to sharply hit Ice between the lungs. Ice quickly moved both of his hands to his sides and kneeled in pain in front of Uncle. Uncle didn't have the heart to kick Ice in the chin, like he deserved to be, so instead lightly touched Ice's forehead and pushed Ice onto his back. Ice didn't have the drive to fight Uncle anymore, but MC Cobra did.

MC Cobra took this moment to take ahold of Uncle. Slipping his arms under Uncle's, Cobra sneered.

"Whatcha gonna do now, ya old freak?"

Uncle smirked and elbowed MC Cobra several times in the ribs. Once Cobra let go, Uncle spun around and slapped MC Cobra silly.

"Never manhandle Uncle!"

Uncle punched MC Cobra in the jaw and sent MC Cobra spiraling back onto DJ Fist, who was just starting to get up. DJ Fist collapsed to the ground when MC Cobra fell on top of him. Again. Ice winced painfully, still clutching his sides, and called for a retreat once he rose up again.

"Time to retreat for now! But we'll be back you… you… Gah!"

Ice failed to come up with a taunt and just ran away, thankful he still could get away. Being pummeled by an oldster did not do a thing positive for his dignity. MC Cobra and DJ Fist followed suit, but it took them a few moments to get up. Uncle sure did a number on them. Uncle smirked at his 'handiwork'.

"Feh… Barely broke sweat."

The whole time the Dog Talisman had gone unnoticed, and for that, Uncle was grateful…

- With Jackie and Tohru -

The tour in the factory had started off normally enough. The mayor had started by taking Jackie and Tohru on the bridge overlooking the entire factory and quickly went into explaining the confectionary process. Once Jackie and Tohru had been lectured for about ten minutes, the mayor took them for a tour of the factory on the ground floor. That's when the trouble began.

Hak Foo had arrived halfway through the tour, and he had been spying on Jackie and Tohru ever since. He was nimble enough and stealthy enough to not get caught by Chan, Tohru, the mayor, or any of the factory workers operating the machinery. Or so he firmly believed. He occasionally darted between the huge vats of chocolate and looked wildly about the factory, making sure the Talisman wasn't in plain sight and that he kept an eye on Chan and the giant. He smiled devilishly when the tour moved to ground level. Instead of going for the 'direct' approach, that is, moving to fight Jackie immediately, Hak Foo thought it best to take the tour guide hostage. If Chan had the Talisman, he would be forced to give it up. And if he didn't, Hak Foo would force Chan to leave the country and return home without further delay. Either way, it was a winning situation to Hak Foo.

Moving with the speed of a ninja, Hak Foo dashed over to the 'tour group'. He thought to be silent this time, though he very much wanted to yell something eccentric. What he did not know was that Tohru had spotted him while he was peeking out behind a vat of chocolate earlier. As soon as Hak Foo dashed over to them, Tohru turned around pretty quickly for a guy his size and swung at Hak Foo with his arm. Hak Foo had not expected this, and was beaten back. Jackie, after watching Tohru do that, turned around and yelped in surprise.

"H-Hak Foo!"

The mayor raised an eyebrow as Hak Foo recovered and glared at Chan.

"You know this man…?"

Jackie turned to the mayor, nodded slowly and grimaced.

"Yes… He is… not a nice man. I…"

"Vicious Jackal overtakes Bunnies!

Hak Foo lunged at Chan and the mayor, but Tohru intercepted Hak Foo again, fortunately. Hak Foo did not like Tohru getting in his way a second time, so he decided to do something about it. Hak Foo smirked, this would take out the giant, it never failed. He backed up and leaped into the air, foot extended.

"Elephant thrusts its leg!

Tohru thought he was ready to intercept this one, as it was another obvious maneuver, but he thought wrong. Suddenly Hak Foo changed to his fist and connected it with Tohru's face, which sent Tohru flying into the factory wall several feet away. Tohru could take it, but he was knocked out cold now. Hak Foo mildly shook the hand he had just used, as Tohru WAS a big guy.

"… Oops. I meant FIST."

Jackie had turned to watch this, and he cringed at the sight of Tohru being sent into a brick wall like that. He turned back to the mayor and frowned.

"Please… Leave while you can! I will… do my best to subdue Hak Foo! Go, go, go!"

The mayor didn't need to be told twice. He ran out of that factory really fast, and so did all the workers, after hearing that commotion. Jackie put up his dukes, but Hak Foo merely waved his hand at Chan dismissively. Chan warning the mayor to get out reminded Hak Foo that he was in a threatening enough position to get Chan to leave the country, even without taking the tour guide as hostage. Hak Foo had taken down the giant, after all! What other incentive could Chan possibly need?

"… I came seeking the Talisman… It is not here, apparently. I will let you live IF you leave Bavaria TODAY. I give you one hour… If we meet again… you will be destroyed. Besides… Archaeology is such a… hazardous profession, wouldn't you agree?"

Hak Foo threatened and chuckled darkly. He proceeded to walk out of the factory, leaving Jackie to his thoughts. Once Hak Foo was gone, Jackie ran over to the collapsed Tohru. Tohru was still breathing, so that was a good sign. Once Tohru was awake again, Jackie would go over their options, and then they would go find Uncle, Jade, and the aides…

- With the Aides and Jade -

Jade, Finn, Ratso, and Chow had been wandering around Bavaria for a while now. Jade didn't care for the polka music, and everything else… Well… She wanted to help look for the Talisman rather than sightsee.

Jade moaned as they stopped by another stand in the market to sample more German chocolate. Ratso stuffed his face, and they moved on. Again. Jade crossed her arms, made a pouty face, and harrumphed.

"Hmph. I still don't see why we can't be looking for the Pig Talisman while we sightsee…"

Chow put a hand on Jade's shoulder reassuringly.

"Look… I know you wanna help out, but Mr. Chan just doesn't want you to get hurt!" Chow cleaned his sunglasses and put them back on. He looked at his watch, then turned to Jade and smiled. "Now… Let's see… We still got about an hour 'til Mr. Chan calls and has us meet him somewhere… Where do ya wanna go next?"

Jade was about to answer with a sassy comment when the clock tower sounded. Finn, Ratso, and Chow were just amused by the pig that banged cymbals together, but when Jade turned up to look at it, she gasped. Jade saw something on the pig's head, and she wasn't about to go anywhere else without notifying Jackie.

"Gimme your phone," Jade said turning to Finn. Finn raised an eyebrow just as Uncle walked up.

Uncle was still perusing the market and looking for the Pig Talisman. When he saw the aides and Jade, he thought he'd check up on them.

"Jade!" Uncle cried warmly.

Jade skipped the pleasantries and started tugging at Uncle's shirt as she excitedly reported what she had seen.

"Unc! I know where the Pig Talisman is! We gotta regroup with Uncle Jackie and Tohru! Quick!"

Everyone was confused until Uncle's Talisman locator acted up and pointed towards the clock tower. Ratso was the first one to find his voice.

"You mean… The Talisman's in there…?"

Uncle held up his locator proudly and beamed.

"Locator never lies! If Jade knows where Talisman is, then it must be at top! Right, Jade?"

Jade nodded enthusiastically, and Finn called Jackie immediately. Unbeknownst to all of them, the Enforcers and Hak Foo had regrouped nearby. They didn't need to be told where the Talisman was now, but they would need to act fast if they wanted to get that Talisman…

At the Top of the Clock Tower –

Jackie and Tohru regrouped with the rest of the Chan Clan ten minutes after Finn made the call. The aides, Uncle, and Jade, not wanting to waste anytime, entered the clock tower and waited for Jackie and Tohru to join them. Ten minutes later they arrived, and just in the nick of time, because that's when Hak Foo and the Enforcers made themselves known.

Hak Foo strode up to the Chans casually and smirked. He had duly warned them to not interfere again, and this time he would destroy them, one person at a time. For some reason, though, the Enforcers claimed to be queasy, and opted to fetch the Talisman while Hak Foo dealt with all the Chans. Hak Foo didn't care, because he firmly believed he could take them all on. Jade slipped away from the battle that was about to ensue and used the gears of the giant clock to ascend to where the pig that chimed the hour was located. The Enforcers were close behind, and the aides noticed this. Soon, six people were climbing around on the gears and quasi-fighting. Jade made it to the top with minimal effort and no resistance. Jackie, Tohru, and Uncle stood their ground and waited for Hak Foo to make a move.

"I warned you, Chan…"

Hak Foo said as he cracked his fists. He rushed at Jackie and prepared to spin just as he got close enough to Chan and kick him. However, Uncle slid in front of Jackie, and that threw Hak Foo's strategy off. Hak Foo's leg was blocked by Uncle's arm. Hak Foo readied himself for a clever move, but Uncle flipped Hak Foo before he could execute it. Raising his leg, Uncle swung it and booted Hak Foo across the large room. Hak Foo growled after rolling on the ground for ten seconds. Finally regaining control, Hak Foo leaped to his feet and cartwheeled over to the Chans. Then, he broke into a flying kick and prepared to execute Elephant Fist to take them all out. However, Jackie and Tohru stepped aside and Uncle squatted low to the floor and let Hak Foo fly over him. Hak Foo ended up cushioned between cogs as they rotated. While Jackie was curious about Uncle's sudden burst of energy, he let it go for now. After all, they were thrashing Hak Foo, what more could they ask for? Hak Foo loathed being humiliated like this…

Meanwhile, Jade was busy trying to secure the Pig Talisman. Though because of Jade's lack of height, she couldn't quite reach it, even though the dressed-up pig was bowed slightly. Below her, the Enforcers were using the rotating cogs to their advantage while climbing slowly but surely. The aides were putting up a good fight, but they just weren't able to keep up, let alone stall the Enforcers. MC Cobra and DJ Fist were on cogs that spun around like a merry-go-round and laughing their heads off at Finn, Ratso, and Chow, who were running on cogs and attempting to leap to greater heights but failing. MC Cobra and DJ Fist occasionally kicked away whoever was 'lucky' enough to get up onto the cogs that they were on. Finn came close to losing his head, Chow his left leg, and Ratso his right arm, but they all managed to save themselves and each other. Ice was ahead of all the rest, and he was about to win big.

Finally leaping to the highest point, Ice made his way over to Jade and the Pig Talisman. He sneered as Jade desperately tried to get the Talisman, but couldn't.

"Havin' trouble, brat?"

Ice swiped the Talisman, and Jade yelled at him and attempted to take the Talisman back. Ice set a firm hand on Jade's head and kept her from lashing out. He hated the little brat, it was true. But Ice wasn't about to let emotions cloud his judgment this time. Looking down, he spotted Hak Foo spinning about between cogs and being humiliated. That just 'grinded his gears'.

Ice's eyes suddenly began glowing without his knowing. Jade blinked in astonishment and backed away willingly. Ice dropped the arm holding back Jade and growled. Without warning, Ice shot laser blasts from his eyes and had aimed them at the Chans below. The two blasts hit the Chans dead on and spread them out. Everyone was taken aback by the Talisman's super power.

"So that's…"

Tohru started. Jackie finished for him.

"How Grandpapa Ferkel melted his cocoa beans!"

Uncle was silent at this time, as he had been thrown back by the blasts. He got up and adjusted his glasses. Jackie was floored to say the least. He had expected Uncle to be knocked out and be worried about him severely… Well, okay, Jackie admitted that he still was. But Uncle seemed to be fine.

Tohru and Jackie slowly got back up, but by the time they did, Ice had leaped back down and started cackling.

"Yo! Payback time!"

Jackie's eyes widened and started to 'dance' for Ice, who was now shooting eye beam blasts with the Pig Talisman. Tohru attempted to stop Ice, but Ice aimed a pair of eye beam blasts at Tohru and he was sent flying into cogs and plugging up the cogs that Hak Foo had went flying into earlier with his gargantuan body. Because of this, the clockwork temporarily stopped working, and Hak Foo was finally able to leap out and get the dizziness out of his eyes. Hak Foo wasted no time and strode over to Ice, who was having way too much fun with the Pig Talisman. Taking the Pig Talisman from Ice, Hak Foo growled deeply.

"No more games… We destroy this place and end the Chans once and for all…

Hak Foo, in a single leap, hopped up to the highest level where Jade remained and flung Jade down to the hard wood floor below. Jackie was quick enough to catch her, though. Ice began to panic and re-ascend all the cogs to get up to Hak Foo. MC Cobra and DJ Fist were in a similar state of panic; DJ Fist knocked Ratso and Chow down one last time, and MC Cobra knocked down Finn. Then they just mindlessly scrambled upwards and hoped Hak Foo would not start the destruction without letting them escape with him.

Luckily for the Enforcers, Hak Foo had some choice farewell words for the Chans, who were now joined by the aides. Everyone was hurting but Jade.

"Farewell, Chans… Today is the day it all ends for you! Heat Beam Eye Blast!"

Hak Foo cried out and started shooting many 'random' blasts throughout the clockwork room. The room was falling apart now, and Hak Foo was about ready to move onto the outside, to secure the Dark Hand's victory. Jackie and the aides moved to help Tohru, who was still stuck between two cogs. After Tohru was dislodged from the two cogs, they joined Uncle and Jade and ran for the stairs, hoping they would all get out in one piece.

Hak Foo finally moved onto the outside and aimed his eyes downward. Carving zigzags on the outside of the tower, the tower's structure severely weakened and started collapsing. The Ice Crew was right behind him as they all ran down the tower as it slowly turned into a hill. Expertly leaping off the structure as they neared the ground below, the Dark Hand safely made it out of the deathtrap alive. The clock tower was nothing but rubble after a few minutes of collapsing on itself.

Ice blew a sigh of relief and wiped sweat from his brow.

"It's finally over…!"

Ice cried out, and the Enforcers all celebrated. Hak Foo simply looked at his handiwork and sneered. There was no way the Chans could've gotten out alive…

**To Be Continued…**

** Without further ado… 'Mailbag' Time!**

_Alana Fox: _Glad we have you hooked! Well… Here's the update you requested. Aren't we just evil leaving a cliffhanger like this…?

_ D.J. Scales: _... Yes, Hak Foo came into play… Whether he gave Chan a beatdown is up to you… But to me, Unc packed more punch… This Chapter he did, anyway. Next Chapter will hopefully redeem Hak Foo. Lastly… What about the Demon Portal Arc? We will be planning for that Arc very soon, but for now we're focused on finishing this Arc. With five Chapters left, Season Two will be on our plate of stuff to organize next… Much lies ahead.

_nightmaster000: _In six Chapters they will! … Well… I suppose you could argue one's already in play, but Shendu's just a statue currently…

**You guys and gals will get another Update or two this week, so stay tuned! Finale's fast approaching…**


	9. Stalemate

_Previously on Jackie Chan Adventures…_

_ "Who is that doggy in the window…?"_

_ Jackie chuckled at his own joke._

_ "You are Jackie Chan… You seek the Talismans which do not BELONG to you! I am here to put an end to that…"_

_ Jackie got up again and rubbed his now-sore head. _

_ "And you are…?"_

_ There seemed to be a glint in Hak Foo's eyes as he replied quite seriously._

_ "The last human being you will ever see… I am Hak Foo. I am the Black Tiger, and you are my prey! Black Tiger crushes field mouse!"_

_ "We do not know Pig Talisman's power! You want dark forces to claim Talisman, no? THEN GO TO BAVARIA! Uncle will meet you there."_

_Uncle got into a fighting stance and motioned for the Ice Crew to bring it on._

_ "You want a piece of Uncle…?"_

_ "… I came seeking the Talisman… It is not here, apparently. I will let you live IF you leave Bavaria TODAY. I give you one hour… If we meet again… you will be destroyed. Besides… Archaeology is such a… hazardous profession, wouldn't you agree?"_

_ "Farewell, Chans… Today is the day it all ends for you! Heat Beam Eye Blast!"_

_ Hak Foo cried out and started shooting many 'random' blasts throughout the clockwork room. The room was falling apart now, and Hak Foo was about ready to move onto the outside, to secure the Dark Hand's victory. Jackie and the aides moved to help Tohru, who was still stuck between two cogs. After Tohru was dislodged from the two cogs, they joined Uncle and Jade and ran for the stairs, hoping they would all get out in one piece. _

_ Hak Foo finally moved onto the outside and aimed his eyes downward. Carving zigzags on the outside of the tower, the tower's structure severely weakened and started collapsing. The Ice Crew was right behind him as they all ran down the tower as it slowly turned into a hill. Expertly leaping off the structure as they neared the ground below, the Dark Hand safely made it out of the deathtrap alive. The clock tower was nothing but rubble after a few minutes of collapsing on itself. _

_ Ice blew a sigh of relief and wiped sweat from his brow._

_ "It's finally over…!" _

_ Ice cried out, and the Enforcers all celebrated. Hak Foo simply looked at his handiwork and sneered. There was no way the Chans could've gotten out alive…_

- Inside the Clock Tower -

All the Chans sprinted down the stairs. All of them, bar Tohru, took three or four steps at a time, even Jade. By the time they got about halfway down, the walls were really starting to creak, and the deafening sound of the upstairs falling apart could be heard with minimal effort. But that didn't bother Jackie.

What DID bother Jackie was that Uncle was keeping up with them all. In fact, Uncle was leading the pack. Jackie just couldn't believe Uncle could run so fast without becoming winded. Just as the ceiling was starting to come down on them, the Chans made it to the next level down. Now the tower began to slant, and it really made things interesting. Soon, they didn't bother running down the stairs, they all just leaped down flights of stairs, even though they could get injured. It seemed to work, though, because they reached the bottom of the clock tower in just minutes. Even Tohru, who had difficulty leaping far enough down all the flights of stairs, made it to the bottom before the tower collapsed. Though that was half the battle.

Now that they reached the bottom, it seemed too late to rush out the front and make it to safety because the tower's remains had 'caught up to them'. The ceiling was collapsing rapidly, and it looked like they would all be crushed. Yet, because of Tohru's quick thinking, everyone barely got scathed. Tohru rushed at the back wall of the clock tower. In doing so, because of the wall's weakened state, Tohru made a hole for everyone to get through. While they wouldn't be able to dodge all the falling rubble, a majority of it would miss them.

Jade was the first one out, followed by Uncle, Chow, Ratso, Finn, and Jackie. Tohru got held up by a rather large piece of debris that had threatened to crush Jackie. Tohru caught the debris and barely held it above their heads.

"Tohru, come on! We don't have much ti-" Jackie didn't get to finish his sentence, because Tohru yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Mr. Chan! Leave here! Now!"

Jackie would've stayed to help Tohru, but he doubted he could help hold that piece of rubble. Jackie leaped out of the clock tower, and finally the remainder of the tower that had been falling all collapsed on the ground. All the Chans were thrown on their backs or chests, but were mostly okay. Tohru was crushed by a ton of rubble, and Jackie panicked. But Jackie didn't dare get up - he could incur the wrath of Hak Foo, if the red-haired hitman was still nearby. If he listened hard enough, Jackie could hear the Enforcers wildly crying out in excitement nearby, but nothing from Hak Foo. The celebration of the Enforcers soon died away though, and only then did Jackie dare get up and look around. The rubble of the clock tower concealed them well, but if the Dark Hand attempted to investigate and look for bodies, they might have a problem. Ten minutes of no activity later, Jackie deemed it safe for everyone to get up. Jackie's first priority was checking on Tohru, who was still beneath a fair amount of rubble.

Uncle felt the same sentiment and pointed at the rubble as he spoke to the aides.

"Don't just stand there! Get cracking!"

Finn, Ratso, and Chow moaned. Not because they still didn't like the thought of working with Tohru, but because they were just plain exhausted. But they got to work digging out their latest comrade, anyway. The mayor and the authorities showed up fairly soon after the aides, Jackie, and Uncle had begun digging. With their assistance, the Chans managed to unearth Tohru, who was just unconscious, fortunately. In a few hours, the Chans got the medical aid they needed, and everyone was feeling slightly better. The fact that the Dark Hand got away with the Pig Talisman was troublesome.

"We heard the commotion, Mr. Chan… What happened to our beloved clock tower?"

The mayor inquired concernedly. Jackie rubbed the back of his head and winced as he still ached.

"The Dark Hand… Hak Foo, the man who had assaulted us at the factory earlier today… He was the man responsible for much of the destruction. The Enforcers, his accomplices, escaped with him right after the clock tower was taken out…"

The mayor was going to inquire more when the Chief of Police walked up and whispered in the mayor's ear. The mayor frowned, but nodded in understanding. He turned to Jackie and sighed.

"Well… While I would very much like to know more about what actually happened… I'll leave that to the police. You got a call from a… Captain Black? He seemed very concerned for you, and he would like you to know that a private jet is being sent here as we speak. Seeing that everyone is okay… I suppose it would be fair enough to let you return home. I am deeply sorry you were all in such horrific peril…"

Jackie bowed respectfully and didn't look up as he spoke.

"No, I am sorry, mayor. I was not vigilant enough to stop the Dark Hand. I will make sure that you and the town will be compensated for all the damages, and I thank you very much for having us, despite all the trouble we brought with us."

A police officer brought over a basket of chocolate, and the mayor smiled as Jackie straightened and smiled back at him. The mayor gave Jackie the basket.

"Please… It is the least we can do to apologize for this incident! Thank you very much for taking the time to visit our fair city!"

Jackie waved his hands negatively.

"No, no, no! We couldn't possibly!"

The mayor pressed the basket into Jackie's chest.

"I INSIST. Please, visit Bavaria again someday!"

Jackie nodded and reluctantly took the gift from the mayor. In another few hours, the Section 13 jet arrived, and the Chans made their way back home…

- At the Dark Hand HQ -

Hak Foo and the Enforcers arrived back in San Francisco in the late afternoon. The four of them strode into Shendu's chamber triumphant, and Valmont had half-expected them to be empty-handed. Again. Yet when Hak Foo slapped the Pig Talisman down on Valmont's desk, Valmont was astonished.

"You actually did your job?" Valmont cried.

Ice crossed his arms and smirked.

"Oh yeah! Even better, V-Man! We finally eliminated Jackie Chan! Hak here used the Pig Talisman to take out the clock tower in that boring town! No one could survive dat! Hoo-wah!"

Ice pumped his fist into the air victoriously. Valmont raised an eyebrow and didn't seem to see the Dog Talisman anywhere.

"Well… What of the Dog Talisman…? Where is it?"

That killed the mood. Everyone's smiles dropped, and Ice's pumped up arm dropped to his side again.

"Chan had it…" MC Cobra muttered.

"Gahhh! Then that means he could be very well ALIVE, you buffoons!" Shendu hissed angrily. All eyes turned to Shendu.

"What…?" Valmont asked incredulously.

"Chan MUST be dead!" Hak Foo snapped.

"The Dog Talisman grants immortality to its bearer. If Chan had it at the time of your 'victory'… Then there is a high chance he made it, no matter how well the execution seemed to go…If anyone else was with him, perhaps they all perished… But Chan did not, if he still possessed the Dog Talisman…" Shendu explained as-matter-of-factly.

The Enforcers and even Hak Foo hung their heads in shame. Did they even think to check for bodies…? No. Now they had a problem. They still didn't know where Section 13 was, and if Chan had made his way back there, they'd lost him. Going back to Bavaria would be pointless now, because it had been hours since the incident.

"Rest assured, Shendu… Somehow… Some way… We WILL retrieve your Talismans…" Valmont swore. Not that it did much good at the time, because the Dark Hand had nothing to go on…

- At Section 13 -

The Chans arrived back at Section 13 fairly early in the evening. Captain Black only heard about the clock tower collapsing, and he wanted to hear ALL of the details. Fortunately, the Chans ended up sleeping on the way back to San Francisco, so they were rested enough to brief the Captain on all the details, necessary and unnecessary.

After relating everything that had happened, Jackie sighed wearily.

"What to do now…? There are two Talismans that are still out there, and the Dark Hand possesses four of the Talismans, while we possess six…"

While Jackie had brought up the fact that they had six Talismans, counting the Dog Talisman, he didn't think to ask Uncle to take the Dog Talisman to the Vault. Jetlag was a terrible thing, but Uncle wasn't complaining, since he wasn't ready to give it up yet.

Captain Black rubbed his chin thoughtfully and frowned.

"Hmm… Let's think here. We could wait for the Dark Hand to make a move… I mean, with the Dark Hand thinking you guys bit the dust, we have the element of surprise on our side. Then again, why wait? We could take the fight right to them! … Provided, of course, that Tohru's okay with ratting them out. Tohru?"

Tohru twiddled his thumbs and nodded understandingly. He knew this would eventually come up. He just didn't expect it to come so soon after he switched sides.

"Yes… I would be fine with that… They are based here, in San Francisco… They are located near the center of Downtown."

Captain Black nodded in affirmation.

"Alright. I'm going to need you to stick with me, Tohru. I'll need you on navigation as we mobilize. If you can get us to the Dark Hand HQ and help us take them down, I'll see about considerably lowering your parole to just five years. Heck, if we can capture Valmont, I might be able to eliminate your parole altogether. That'd be nice, wouldn't it, Tohru?

Tohru nodded. Captain Black proceeded to alert the whole of Section 13 and got everyone ready to mobilize…

Jackie began donning a battle suit. He had spoken to Captain Black about leaving someone behind to look after Jade, and Captain Black agreed to leave Jade's care to Kepler. In doing so, Jackie incurred Jade's whining.

"But Jaaackiiieee! I HAVE to come! I'm the Cunning One, and…"

Jackie hushed her and carried his helmet under his arm.

"No, Jade… This is the one time you CANNOT come. The Dark Hand HQ will be extremely dangerous. They will probably see us coming from a mile away, because of the sheer number of Section 13 agents alone! We need to make this invasion quick and decisive. I don't want to have to worry about your safety while we infiltrate their Headquarters! The only reason Finn, Ratso, and Chow won't be babysitting you this time is because their muscle will be needed. And Uncle wants to come along to see what magic the Dark Hand uses to detect the Talismans. PLEASE promise me you'll stay here and be good!"

Jade was about to protest again, but Jackie knew Jade well enough that she'd never promise that. And even if she did, she would break that promise to help them. Jackie was thankful that Jade was so willing to help, but she was just too young and could be put in danger way too easily. Jackie proceeded to leave the room and locked the door. It was harsh, but this situation was very, very dangerous…

- At the Dark Hand HQ -

Valmont's brows furrowed. If Section 13 ever had the gall to attack the Dark Hand – Valmont reasoned they only could if Tohru had told Section 13 their whereabouts before seemingly perishing in Bavaria – then the Dark Hand had a high chance of surviving an assault by them. The building they were in currently had been bought when the previous owners went bankrupt. Valmont offered a fair price, and the previous owners had accepted, even though the actual price was at least twice what Valmont had given them. The building, since it was purchased ten years ago, had been undergoing several, quiet renovations, both on the inside and the outside. Valmont had to smirk at the amount of security the place had now. While he was fairly confident in the security he had put time and money into installing, he had to mull over the possibility of Section 13 getting past it all. It could get ugly, if the Dark Hand wasn't careful.

Two hours after the Enforcers and Hak Foo had returned, Valmont had come to the conclusion that there was not much they could do. He had been sure that there hadn't been much they could do at first, but he needed time to think about the situation, and had dismissed the Enforcers and Hak Foo from the room. They were allowed to take a break after returning successfully with the Pig Talisman, but they would need to be ready when Valmont had thought of what to do next. However, things don't always go as planned.

Ice rushed into the room as soon as the elevator arrived at the top floor and opened. His face was panic-stricken.

"V-V-Man! We's got a problem! Lookouts reported multiple cars and helicopters headed this way!"

Valmont shrugged at this and seemed unhappy with having his concentration disrupted.

"So? What makes you think they are headed here?"

Ice was sweating and he didn't look reassured with the possibility that they weren't swarming to their HQ at all.

"It's Section 13! They're comin' for us! Don't know how, don't know why… But they're comin'!"

Valmont scowled and slapped Ice.

"Calm yourself! This is no way to act as a high-ranking member of the Dark Hand! Now… get everyone on hand ready to fight. I will disable the elevator, and you will have everyone ready strategically on as many floors as possible! Particularly on the four floors immediately below us! We should be able to pick them off and they shouldn't outnumber us terribly by the time they reach the top five floors…"

Ice still continued to sweat, but he seemed more at ease now.

"W-Well… What about the roof, dawg? What about them tryin' to break in through the windows? Nothin's gonna stop 'em from doin' that!"

Valmont smirked.

"Oh… They'll be in for an unpleasant surprise if they try those tactics. The latest defense grid has been installed in this tower, and there is no way for them to break in using those methods. You see, with the press of a button…" Valmont held up his cane. "I turn on an electric grid that covers the roof and the outside walls of the top ten floors of this whole complex. Anyone who attempts to invade through either route, the roof or the windows, and they will find thousands of volts coursing through their body. The petty agents will either be too shook up and harmed to continue their petty invasion, or they will be dead. The whole tower was still being 'renovated', so of course all the floors below were going to have this safety measure installed… But it takes time and money for top-of-the-line security such as this."

Ice was completely at ease now. Valmont had thought through security very carefully and thoroughly. Ice smirked back and gave Valmont two thumbs up.

"Niiice! I'll get right on makin' the boys ready, boss!

Ice ran over to the intercom along the wall and yelled into it.

"Yo! Hak! Fist! Cobra! Get everyone ready on defense! Get half of everyone defendin' the top five floors! Cobra, you get to lead Defense on Floor Twenty Six! Fist, Floor Twenty Seven! I'll get Floor Twenty Eight! Hak, you get's Floor Twenty Nine! V-Man and Shendu's got Floor Thirty covered! Get everyone defendin' a floor NOW!"

And with that, Ice ran to the elevator and took it to Floor Twenty Eight. On hand, there were over two hundred personnel ready to defend their HQ. They wouldn't give up without a fight. Once everyone was in place, Valmont disabled the elevator and activated the electric defense grid. They were ready for war…

- Outside the Dark Hand HQ -

All of Section 13's forces – cars, helicopters, even a tank or two – stopped immediately besides the Dark Hand HQ building. Captain Black got out of the black van he had ridden in to get there, followed by Tohru and Jackie. Pulling out a walkie talkie, Black barked commands into it.

"Surround the perimeter! No one leaves unless they're wearing handcuffs! Fly boys, I need a visual of what we have to deal with in there ASAP!" Turning to Jackie, Captain Black spoke more softly. "Jackie, take Tohru with you and scout the first few floors. If you run into any trouble, it shouldn't be too bad. I'd expect a majority of them to be on the higher floors. Also, don't count on the elevator. If Valmont saw us coming, he'd have disabled it by now. It may be painfully tedious, but any and every man 'working' inside that building is a criminal. It's our job to bring them in, so if it hastens your ascent up that thing… Just knock 'em out and leave them to us. Don't stop unless we get Intel that says otherwise. As you ascend, I'll be sending more and more agents in there to back you up, but you've got to be the first one in there. You're one of our best men, Jackie, and you're probably the strongest offense we can start off with. Good luck."

Uncle tapped Captain Black's shoulder.

"Uncle will go as well!"

Uncle proceeded to go with Jackie and Tohru as they started moving toward the HQ, but Black attempted to stop him.

"Uncle… I don't think that's so wise… Who knows what's waiting in there…?"

Uncle growled and turned back to Captain Black.

"Uncle will go! Uncle can take care of self!"

Uncle harrumphed and stalked away, moving to catch up with Jackie and Tohru. While Captain Black still didn't feel right about letting Uncle go in there so soon, he knew that Chans were tough. Uncle was no exception.

- At Section 13 -

Jade was being 'good' for Kepler. The first few minutes after everyone left to assault the Dark Hand HQ, Kepler unlocked the room in which Jade was in and went back to work designing gadgets. Kepler felt that it was okay to let Jade run loose. After all, now that everyone had left, what were the chances of Jade getting to the big battle at the Dark Hand HQ? Unfortunately, he underestimated Jade. While she was a good helper in the lab and helped him for a good half hour, Jade had been multitasking when Kepler was busy working on his latest gadget.

"Hey Kepler, how's this work?"

Kepler looked up only briefly to see that Jade had his experimental jetpack on. It was finished just yesterday. Pointing to the controls accurately while he resumed his work on his latest gadget, Kepler spoke clearly and tersely.

"Steering, throttle, brake."

"Thanks!"

Jade beamed and hopped off the table. She promptly exited the room. It didn't hit Kepler that she would actually use the jetpack, and he didn't complain about or stop to inquire about the silence in Section 13 now that he was alone…

- Inside the Dark Hand Headquarters -

Jackie, Uncle, and Tohru had made it to Floor Five without breaking a sweat. When they first entered the large complex, they were greeted by four ordinary henchmen. Uncle took them out before Jackie could raise a finger. After knocking out the four grunts, Uncle attempted to try the elevator. But to no avail, the elevator had been disabled, just as Captain Black had predicted. While they could theoretically ascend the building by taking the elevator shaft, Captain Black explicitly ordered Jackie to scout the first few floors. Section 13 personnel moved in to take the four grunts on the first floor into custody, and Jackie, Tohru, and Uncle proceeded up the stairs to Floor Two. For the first four floors, there was four henchmen on each level. Uncle took them all out in the same quick fashion as he did with the first four henchmen they encountered, and Section 13 personnel eventually moved in to take all henchmen on the first four floors into custody. Floor Five was when security seemed to heighten, and things began to get tougher for the Chans. Guns were brought into the mix, finally, but they were just ordinary pistols at this point. As soon as Jackie stepped onto Floor Five, he was fired upon.

"Wha!"

Jackie nimbly dodged left and right as four guns were being shot directly at him. Apparently, a bounty was being put on his head. At least that's what the four grunts seemed to indicate.

"First one to bust a cap in Chan gets a nice bonus! Yeehaw!"

The other grunts cackled and gleefully watched Chan dance. But soon they ran out of bullets. They failed to notice Uncle sneaking his way behind them along the wall, too. Silently he snuck up behind each one and knocked each one out swiftly. Not one of them turned around and noticed that his comrades were being taken out.

After the fourth grunt was taken out, Uncle dusted his hands off and placed his hands at his hips.

"Good distraction! Let us keep moving! Aiyah!"

Jackie and Tohru didn't need to be told twice. They ran up the stairs to see what would await them next as Section 13 agents swarmed the fifth floor and took into custody the four grunts…

- Outside the Dark Hand HQ -

Captain Black was finally getting Intel from 'the fly boys', otherwise known as the men in the helicopters hovering around the Dark Hand HQ. It wasn't looking particularly good… While the first twenty five floors were pretty scarce with Dark Hand minions, beginning at Floor Twenty Six Dark Hand forces were abundant. However… Floor Thirty didn't seem to have much on it, suspiciously. There was a single person on it, and some unreadable figure giving off a faint heat signature.

"… Valmont." Captain Black muttered. He knew Valmont was on the highest floor. He would always leave his cronies to do the dirty work. But the other, unreadable figure with a faint heat signature troubled Captain Black. He pondered whether to try to access the roof or the windows, but the fly boys advised against it.

"We're getting Intel on some… defense grid, sir. Until we gauge how big and powerful it is, we advise everyone to continue the assault from the ground up! Over and out!"

Captain Black moaned, but understood the need to be cautious. If Valmont had taken precautions to set up a defense grid, there was no doubt that it would be deadly, maybe even fatal. For now, Captain Black would settle for the slow and steady approach: Ascending the HQ one floor at a time. Too bad Jade didn't share the same sentiment, because she was about to endanger her own life without the foreknowledge of the defense grid…

Jade had arrived at the Dark Hand HQ after flying around the Downtown area for a good ten minutes. She wasn't told where the HQ would specifically be, but she knew she would recognize it by all the action going on outside. By action that meant cars, tanks, and helicopters. It wasn't exactly a scene one could easily miss. At first Jade planned to get updated by flying down to Captain Black, but then she had the brilliant idea of crashing through the highest window in the complex and surprising anyone inside. She would go down in history as the first grade school kid-spy! Maybe she would even get a cool catchphrase like James Bond, or her own movie! Just as she prepared to make her big entrance, she was spotted by the fly boys. The fly boys didn't have much time; all they could do was shoot the poor kid's jetpack and radio Captain Black on the ground, hoping that would be enough to catch the poor kid wherever she landed. One helicopter aimed at Jade and opened fire just as Jade began flying to the window. The jetpack died and caught fire, and Jade began to fall just inches close to the windows. Jade screamed, but managed to cling onto a platform used for washing windows and get the jetpack off herself. Captain Black ordered one of the helicopters to retrieve Jade and bring her down. Since there was more than one helicopter keeping an eye on the HQ building, they could afford to use one to get Jade down. Once Jade was down, Captain Black was the first to greet her. The aides were sent into the HQ building just before Jade arrived, so no one but him could greet her and keep an eye on her among the people that Jade knew.

"Are you NUTS?" Captain Black asked and fixed a stern look on Jade, who was looking down, ashamedly. "Little lady… You could've been hurt! And not just a little!"

Jade sheepishly grinned at Captain Black and didn't sound too proud of herself anymore.

"Hehe… Uh… Sorry? I thought I could be a hero!"

Jade rubbed her arm and looked down dejectedly again when Captain Black lectured her.

"There's some kind of defense grid, and you could've been electrocuted! Even if there hadn't been a defense grid, the broken glass could've hurt you alone and the danger within those four walls is even more intense! You are staying here with me for the remainder of this assault!"

Jade moaned.

"Ah…"

- Inside the Dark Hand HQ -

Jackie, Tohru, Uncle, and Section 13 forces were making great time. As they escalated up the first twenty five floors, the security got more and more tight. Explosives were even brought in! Jackie could believe laser weaponry, but explosives? Didn't Valmont want the Dark Hand HQ structurally intact? Explosives were first thrown into the mix on Floor Sixteen, and it was at that point Jackie had them all take it nice and slowly. … Well… Slow-er than they had been. They had already overtaken half of the HQ and arrested about sixty henchmen by that point! There was no rush… Especially if explosives were going to be thrown in now.

Jackie, Uncle, Tohru, and now the aides reached Floor Seventeen, and were met by laser blasts, machine gunfire, and smoke grenades. Jackie was fired at by machine guns and lasers, and everyone else was pelted by smoke grenades. Once the room was filled with a heavy smokescreen, that's when things got really interesting, because that's when the flunkies who were on Floor Seventeen and hiding came out of hiding. All the grunts on Floor Seventeen wore gas masks, so they had the advantage.

Since his use of sight was basically neutralized, Jackie used his other senses to pummel the thugs. He heard one thug dashing at him, and punched and kicked the man until the man was knocked senseless. Uncle did the same thing, but smelled a man coming at him. Uncle took half the time Jackie did to knock out the thug that attacked him. The remaining two hoodlums remained at a distance, and fired their weaponry. Jackie, Uncle, Tohru, and the aides moved by that point and managed to dodge the blasts of energy and machine gunfire. Tohru found one thug and crushed the thug's machine gun with his bare hands. Then he knocked the thug unconscious. The aides kept an eye out for the thug firing the laser beams, and found him in no time. Ratso took away the man's 'toy', while Chow and Finn beat the thug into unconsciousness. The Chans all rushed up the stairs to the next level, and up until Floor Twenty Six, the Floors were variations of Floors Sixteen and Seventeen. Nothing new was added.

After conquering the first twenty five floors, Jackie was relieved. They had survived gunfire, heavy-duty gunfire, knock-out gas, poisonous gas, combustible gas, smokescreens, explosives, and lasers. It felt like they just might be able to win the war. Little did Jackie know that the hardest battles were yet to come on the topmost levels…

Up on Floor Thirty, Valmont fumed. Section 13 was making a mockery of his organization! The least they could do was have some agents keel over, but so far, only Chan, Tohru, the old man, and the 'three stooges' were the only ones attacking. Section 13 was storming the Dark Hand HQ, and it ANGERED Valmont. So much so that Valmont took his anger out on Ice over the intercom. Ice was Valmont's 'eyes'. Floor Twenty Eight was Security Central, and Ice witnessed everything happening and alerted all the 'soldiers' when the Chans were moving to their level and kept Valmont updated on everything.

"Yo! I'm sorry, V-Man, but the Chans are headin' for Floor Twenty Six now… If the bottom-of-the-barrel henchmen couldn't do much, what chance do we have?"

Valmont slapped his forehead and rubbed his face.

"You have it the other way around, Ice… Since we saved the best for last… We will surely beat them back. After all, Jackie Chan and his 'friends' have just stormed through twenty five levels of security. Surely they must be tired…?"

Ice sounded relieved over the intercom.

"Oh, yeah! Good thinkin' boss! Peace out!"

Valmont groaned and laid his head on his desk and buried it within his arms. He had two intercoms in the room: One on the far wall away from his desk, and the other on his desk. Valmont was sick and tired of hearing all the defeats! How Chan survived a collapsing clock tower was beyond him, but perhaps the reports were highly exaggerated. After all, the Enforcers and Hak Foo never bothered to check for bodies! Valmont seriously contemplated docking their pay for this.

"You put too much trust in your buffoons, Valmont…" Shendu hissed.

Valmont wheeled around in his desk chair and glared at Shendu furiously.

"Do you have any BETTER ideas? Section 13 is HERE, in case you haven't noticed, and they're almost up to us! We're doomed, if they get past Cobra, Fist, Ice, and Hak Foo!" Valmont cried with exasperation.

"You forget… I have the Shadowkhan to call upon, should we be cornered… I might not like working with your failure of an organization… But you are the only ones who can and will help me! Do not complain to me about your allies, I did not hire them! Nor WOULD I, if I was not encased in stone…" Shendu hissed.

Valmont seethed, but let the matter go. Shendu was a fire-breathing dragon! He was right in claiming he wouldn't hire them, if he wasn't encased in stone, but the fact remained that Shendu was! Valmont's Dark Hand had all the money in the world, practically! So the muscle should be top-notch! Valmont was just unhappy that didn't seem to be the case. Valmont went back to impatiently waiting for news on the invasion below after dwelling on this…

On Floor Twenty Six, things got serious. Even with the aides, Jackie, Tohru, and Uncle were outnumbered. Counting MC Cobra, there were twenty six armed-to-the-teeth men on Floor Twenty Six.

_This will not be easy…_

Jackie thought to himself. He had no Talisman, and didn't usually have a need for the Talismans. However, they sure made things easier, especially when facing so many evildoers. Still, Jackie was content that he wasn't alone. With Tohru, a still energetic Uncle, and his aides, Jackie felt it was possible to win this battle.

"Open fire!" MC Cobra cried, and ten strategically planted machine gun holders complied. Jackie and co. ducked for cover, and proceeded with a counterattack. They didn't have strategy on their side, but they did have more experience with the martial arts than a lot of the punks did, and that would help greatly.

Jackie didn't waste anytime and went straight for MC Cobra. He was obviously the head of the Defense on this Floor, and if he took out MC Cobra, the goons would be left without a leader and as easy to round up as their comrades below had been. It wasn't easy; grunts attempted to get in the way left and right, but Jackie went around them all and lunged at MC Cobra with a high flying kick. MC Cobra did not expect Jackie to be able to get past all his cronies, so he took the kick head-on and reeled back into a wall. MC Cobra wildly shook his head and reoriented himself. He was cool with taking down Chan himself, but Chan was definitely a formidable opponent.

Dividing the grunts on Floor Twenty Six, Tohru, Uncle, and the aides all got five grunts each, and everyone got two machine gun users each. Chow, Ratso, and Finn had the roughest time taking out their machine gun users, but those were the first people that each of the aides went after. After that, Chow, Ratso, and Finn started making piles of unconscious people slowly but steadily. They were not as well trained in the martial arts as Jackie, but they could hold their own surprisingly well now. Chow was the quickest of the aides, making lightning fast kicks and sending his opponents into walls much of the time. Ratso tended to manhandle his opponents, but when he couldn't, he resorted to just punching them. Finn attempted to copy Jackie's style, and add a little of Chow's lightning fast moves into it. It was truly a sight behind to see Finn taking down Dark Hand thugs like there was no tomorrow.

As for Tohru, he tended to hug his opponents. After crushing the machine guns with his bare hands, Tohru pulled both machine gun holders into a hug. Their bones could be heard, cracking, and that threw Tohru's three remaining opponents into a rage. While stupid in trying to fight Tohru with mere punches and kicks, at least they could be given an A for effort. Tohru swung his arm at his three remaining opponents, and they were out cold along with the two he had hugged into unconsciousness. Tohru was done just behind Uncle.

Uncle was the quickest at besting his opponents, not to mention the 'fanciest'. He did not attempt at mimicking anyone's fighting style, Uncle's fighting style was his own, and it was, in one word, epic. His fists and feet were faster than the eyes of his enemies, and that was the enemy's downfall. Taking out the machine gun users had been Uncle's first priority. While Uncle was immortal with the Dog Talisman around his neck, he didn't want Jackie to worry needlessly or question the gunshot wounds, if he allowed the machine gun users to continue firing at him. So… In thirty seconds flat, Uncle had the two machine gun users out like lights. The other three goons were still trying to catch up with Uncle, and that was their downfall. Uncle turned around on his heel immediately after knocking out the machine gun users and punched and kicked each goon until they were all unconscious. In all, it took Uncle just over a minute to defeat his opponents.

Jackie never got to 'defeat' MC Cobra. He got MC Cobra to retreat upstairs, but that wasn't victory enough for Jackie. Turning around after his first battle with an Enforcer in the Dark Hand HQ, Jackie was surprised to see everyone walking over to him calmly, and Section 13 agents coming up to Floor Twenty Six and taking the unconscious goons away.

"Wha? I expected you all to still be fighting!" Jackie exclaimed.

Uncle waved a hand dismissively.

"Feh! Like riding a bicycle! Now, are we going upstairs, or what?"

Uncle yelled. Finn turned to Uncle and tried to calm him down.

"Calm down, Unc! We just swept through Floor Twenty Six out of thirty! Can't we take a break?"

Uncle growled and glared at Finn.

"You want Dark Hand to escape with Talismans? No? Then we must go up and ATTAAACK!"

Everyone cringed, but they understood. Stretching to make the pain from all the earlier battles go away, the Chans ascended to Floor Twenty Seven…

Valmont slammed his fist on his desk. The Chans had barely broken a sweat on Floor Twenty Six! He had a few choice words for Ice now…

"Fist had better give Chan a run for his money, or… Or… Gah! Just make sure one of you makes Chan pay!"

Ice didn't dare respond. From the security cam, it looked like Floor Twenty Seven, the level right below Ice, was just as hectic as it had been on Floor Twenty Six. MC Cobra and DJ Fist were now teaming up and fighting Chan and the floor was filled with grenade users instead of machine gun users, but those were the only differences between Floors Twenty Six and Floor Twenty Seven. The Dark Hand was losing… TERRIBLY…

Now that they had experienced such seemingly insurmountable odds, the Chans were beating the Dark Hand even faster than they had been on the previous floor! The grenades made it more interesting, but once they were used up by kicking the grenades to an abandoned corner of that level, they couldn't be used anymore. Jackie had a harder time facing two Enforcers, but he was holding his own against them.

"What's the matter, Chan? Tired?" MC Cobra cackled as he sucker punched Chan in the face.

Jackie shook his head and did a sweeping kick, which made DJ Fist and MC Cobra trip and collapse. The truth was, he was tired. He had been doing nothing but fight Dark Hand forces the whole time he was here! Of COURSE he was exhausted! But Jackie pressed on and didn't waver in this fight.

"I may be exhausted… But I can still defeat you!"

Jackie said as he placed his hands at his hips and gazed down at the two Enforcers. And this seemed to hold true to the two Enforcers, so they hastily retreated up the flight of stairs. After turning around once more, Jackie was pleased to see more unconscious bodies and everyone coming over to him again.

"What took you so long? Aiyah! There are still more henchmen to be pummeled! Hurry!"

Jackie moaned, but complied. They were very close to the top now, and Jackie could almost taste victory in this war…

On Floor Thirty, Valmont contemplated abandoning the HQ. He wasn't about to let Chan win and capture him, and his best men were being trashed! Shendu, however, seemed to have other ideas. Through Shadowkhan, Shendu saw that the Chans were tiring. And that meant that the possibility of victory was at hand.

"Just wait until Chan gets to Floor Twenty Nine… Saving Hak Foo for last was our best option. If Chan does manage to get past your Enforcers, then there is a very high possibility of him collapsing on Floor Twenty Nine."

"And what of the old man?" Valmont raged. "Ice keeps telling me that the old man is not tiring! This is absurd!"

Shendu seemed to chuckle before he replied.

"Patience, Valmont… I believe the old man has a certain Talisman… If I am right, Hak Foo could remove that from the old man and make the fight so much easier, wouldn't you agree…? Everyone else seems to be tuckering out, but not the old man. We remove the Talisman from the old man, and everyone else will fold…"

Valmont narrowed his eyes and glowered at the stone dragon.

"And what if you're wrong…? Section 13 is still coming up here! And they've barely broken a sweat! Plus, if the old man DOESN'T have your Dog Talisman, we could be in serious trouble!"

Shendu sighed exasperatedly and hissed.

"I am SURE that the old man has my Talisman… Now go back to moping! I enjoy your depression…"

The stone dragon chuckled. Valmont fumed.

On Floor Twenty Eight, things seemed to be looking up for the Chans, if only slightly. Uncle told Jackie to let him handle the Enforcers, and Jackie could tackle five minions instead. The minions on Floor Twenty Eight had access to laser weaponry, so that made the fight slightly harder for the Chans. The good news, though… One remark from Uncle, and the Enforcers were sent retreating up the stairs, even Ice, who had a bone to pick with the old geezer.

"You want a piece of Uncle…?" Uncle motion with one hand. He didn't seem tired in the least, and this freaked the Enforcers out.

"You old freak! Stay away!" Ice exclaimed, and ran up the stairs with his cronies. Uncle harrumphed and remarked, "They have no backbone!" before assisting Jackie take down his enemies. In five minutes, the twenty five minions on Floor Twenty Eight were out cold, and the Chans had exclusive access to Security Central. While Uncle pushed for Jackie and Tohru to hasten their quest to pummel the remaining Dark Hand forces and pulled them each by the ear to follow him upstairs, the aides remained at Security Central to scope out the remaining two floors. Floor Twenty Nine was without a doubt the last floor with enemy grunts and elites. Floor Thirty, though…

"So… Looks like Valmont's the only livin' person up on the top floor… But… What's that statue behind him…? And why's Valmont burying his head on his desk like he's sulking…? That's just… weird. You'd expect a criminal mastermind of an elite organization to be more… I dunno… more sly and cunning? You'd think he'd be helpin' his boys out, but he's not…"

Ratso and Chow nodded in agreement. The situation was strange, but who could fathom what went through the mind of a criminal mastermind…?

Meanwhile, on Floor Twenty Nine, the final battle of the day was commencing. Hak Foo ordered his squad of twenty five men attack the three Chans with no mercy… or weapons.

"Hyenas pounce on helpless bunnies!" Hak Foo cried out. And his henchmen charged at the Chans.

Hak Foo was pleased to note that Chan's moves were sluggish and predictable, as were the giant's. However, he was horrified to note that the old man was as energetic as he was back in Bavaria. Uncle was kicking butt and taking names. In ten minutes, with the assistance of Uncle, Jackie and Tohru beat all the grunts on Floor Twenty Nine. Now all they had to deal with… was Hak Foo. The Enforcers retreated upstairs for the final time while the Chans were battling the grunts. Hak Foo wasn't surprised the Chans succeeded in defeating the army of grunts, but he was surprised with the old man. What surprised him even more was that the old man began to charge at him.

Hak Foo ran at Uncle, too, and he extended a foot in the air.

"Elephant thrusts its leg!

Uncle felt he was ready to block 'Elephant's Leg', but before Jackie could warn Uncle about the fist, it was too late. Hak Foo alternated to his fist with great agility and punched Uncle into a wall with great force. Uncle was rendered unconscious, to say the least. Hak Foo strode over to Uncle and hoisted Uncle to his feet by yanking on Uncle's hair. He was pleased to notice the Dog Talisman peeking out of Uncle's shirt, and Hak Foo took it without remorse.

"So… The old man was using this Talisman to keep himself going… Well… He won't be needing it anymore." Hak Foo chuckled darkly and turned to Jackie and Tohru, who were rooted to the spot. Hak Foo had just KO-ed Uncle, after all. What chance did they have in their exhausted state? "I advise you to leave here… Now. Or I will crush you all."

Jackie felt numb as he made his way over to Uncle after Hak Foo turned on his heel and walked up the stairs to deliver the Talisman to Valmont. Tohru made his way over, too, after finding his legs were still there, despite how numb they were from all the fighting and exercise. The aides rushed up the stairs, and Section 13 personnel were right behind them to take the grunts into custody. The aides had witnessed Uncle getting hit by 'Elephant Fist' and bolted from Security Central as soon as that happened.

"H-How is he, Mr. Chan…?"

Jackie shook his head and sighed with relief.

"He's breathing… But he'll have one heck of a headache when he wakes up… Still…" Jackie turned to Finn, Ratso, and Chow and fixed them with a serious look. "Can you take Uncle down to Captain Black? I know it's a long ways down, and Tohru and I will be down soon to help you. But right now we need to confront Valmont and end this."

Tohru nodded in affirmation, and the aides agreed to start carrying Uncle downstairs. Jackie and Tohru ascended the very last flight of stairs…

On the top floor, Hak Foo strode over to Valmont, the Enforcers, and Shendu proudly. He slapped the Dog Talisman down on Valmont's desk and smirked. Valmont looked up from his desk in astonishment and cried for joy when he saw the Dog Talisman.

"Excellent work, Hak Foo!" Valmont cried and put the Dog Talisman in its place on Shendu. Then he turned back to Hak Foo. "What of Chan? Is he still here?"

"… Of course I am."

Hak Foo whirled around and all eyes were on Jackie as he and Tohru walked into the room. Well, it was more of a 'limp' for both of them, but they still seemed ready to fight. Valmont smirked at this, Chan was finally weakened!

"Well, well…" Valmont clapped, stood up, and walked in front of his desk. The Enforcers stood side by side with Valmont and Hak Foo. "So glad you could join us, Mr. Chan! And Tohru… You traitor! How has working for Mr. Chan been working out for you…? I mean, after fighting almost ALL of the Dark Hand today, I'd imagine you feel weary…?"

Tohru growled lowly, but didn't say anything. Jackie pointed accusingly at Valmont.

"Give up the Talismans, Valmont! We know you have five of them now! And you might as well give it up! Section 13 has swarmed your HQ! You are finished!"

Valmont scoffed.

"Give it up…?" Valmont cackled at the notion. "You boorish buffoons! While you slaved away for the Good Captain, WE remain in pique physical condition! Besides… What's to stop us from using the Talismans on you, Mr. Chan…?"

Jackie gulped at that. However, before Jackie could respond, something behind the Dark Hand's elite hissed. The Enforcers moved out of the way so that Jackie could see the dragon statue's eyes glow red.

"Do not be so hasty, Valmont… Even in his condition, Chan can still hold his own. Surely you haven't forgotten Bavaria…? Chan survived the collapsing clock tower! He could survive my Talismans as well!"

Valmont blinked in astonishment, but didn't move to address the dragon statue by name or introduce Jackie to it.

"So… What do you propose we do, Shendu? We aren't retreating! Not now!"

"You are right in saying you will not be retreating!

Everyone turned to the new voice in the room: Uncle limped into the room and wagged his finger at Valmont.

"Uncle may be weak now, but Uncle can still bring pain!"

The stone statue seemed to laugh.

"Be thankful you do not have to be served like me, old man! You say you are 'weak', but you are far stronger than I am now! You can move on your own, while I cannot. But… I will let this insult pass… for now.

Shendu continued addressing Valmont after 'complimenting' Uncle.

"Valmont… You do not have a say in this. I will NOT let Chan have my Talismans… And I will NOT lose you or your pitiful buffoons to the authorities! You will come with me… There is not a choice…"

Suddenly, ninja-like people appeared from out of seemingly nowhere and dragged Shendu and the Enforcers, Hak Foo, and Valmont into the shadows. With the Dark Hand elite now gone, Section 13 agents stormed the top floor with Captain Black leading them. Jade was brought along, but only because she would've come along one way or another.

"Jackie! Where's Valmont?" Captain Black barked.

Jackie shook his head and sighed.

"Well… They got away. Something… Something managed to get them to retreat… I don't know what that… statue was."

Uncle turned to Tohru at this time and inquired about that piece of information.

"Tohru…? What was the dragon's name…?"

Tohru sighed wearily. He was exhausted, and he had only heard the dragon referenced to a few times while he was working for the Dark Hand, but he did remember the dragon's name well.

"… Shendu."

Uncle waved his arms exasperatedly, he didn't seem to recognize it.

"Come, Tohru! I must do research! You must help me!"

With that, Uncle and Tohru walked away and began to make their way down the tower. Jackie turned to the aides, who finally managed to show up on the top floor.

"How did Uncle…?"

Finn grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Well… We… um… kinda… sorta accidentally bumped Unc's head once or twice while taking him down the first flight of stairs… Needless to say, Unc woke up, and… Well, that's how the cookie crumbles… Ehe."

Jackie moaned. Then he turned to Jade and sighed wearily. Fortunately, she had seemed to stay out of trouble this time, but she still came along when Jackie explicitly told her not to. He was about to chastise her when Captain Black stepped in again, noticing that look in Jackie's eye.

"Look… The kid just wanted to help, okay? She had a close call, but nothing bad really happened. Hopefully now she'll realize it's dangerous to get involved with this stuff…"

Jackie nodded in agreement and let the incident slide. After resting for a few minutes, the Chans made their way down. While they failed to capture all of the Dark Hand, at least they made huge progress that day…

- In An Abandoned Factory -

Valmont fumed. He swore that was all he did that day.

"What is the meaning of this, Shendu? We had the Chans right where we wanted them!"

Shendu chuckled at Valmont. He was an entertaining human 'ally' indeed.

"Patience, Valmont… If we killed the Chans today, we would not be able to secure the other Talismans that the Chans have collected… You would be locked up, and I would no doubt be taken to Section 13 to suffer a similar fate. This way, we are all free and still have the capability of collecting all twelve of my Talismans…"

Valmont seethed. He did not like running away one bit. Still, what's done is done, and there was no way Shendu would take them back to 'finish the job', so Valmont let the matter go. They were so close, but now they had lost so much… At the same time, they DID gain two Talismans that day, and that seemed to be enough to satisfy Shendu…

** And that's a wrap for Chapter Nine! Hope you enjoyed this two-parter, 'cause it was fun to write. Merry Christmas to all you readers out there! You probably won't see another update until Christmas has passed. Still… Two updates in one week should be good enough for now, right? All that's left are the Dragon and Rat Talismans, and then we're to the finale for Season One! Whoo! Well, technically the Dragon Talisman, and then the Rat Talisman leads into the Finale… You'll get a finale that's in three parts, and we'll be working on that real soon! But now it's 'Mailbag' time!**

Alana: Thank ya kindly! Didn't know you were one of the Netherland readers! Glad you were entertained. Merry Christmas! And we hope to bring you at least one update before New Year's!

D.J. Scales: Thanks! Hope this Chapter was to your liking as well. If not, our deepest apologies! Either way, Merry Christmas! We hope to get you at least one more update before this year is done…


	10. The Fury of Valmont

Jackie made his way through the volcano looking for the Dragon Talisman. He pulled out his map as he ran through the cave, being careful to watch out for the blasts of hot steam coming from vents in the cave wall.

Before long, he stumbled down a hole, and found himself in a part of the cave that was very hot. He looked around, and saw the Dragon Talisman engraved in a giant pillar.  
Chan took a deep breath as he gazed upon the Talisman. It reminded him of that creepy statue – if it even was a statue - he saw in Valmont's office at his headquarters. Shendu, it was called. And it was the reason the Dark Hand was seeking the Talismans in the first place.

It was crucial that Chan not let this Talisman fall into that thing's hands. It already had five Talismans, thanks to the Dark Hand, and it wanted all twelve. If it got them all, nothing good would come from it.

He climbed up the pillar, and used a pick to remove the Talisman. He gazed down at it, almost visualizing Shendu's stone face and burning red eyes from it. It gave him the willies.

"Cheetah pounces on wildebeest!"

Chan heard the battle cry just in time to narrowly avoid Hak Foo's boot as it smashed into the rock, and the foot was now lodged in the rock. Jackie waved his hands in a negative manner.

"No, no, no! No pouncing! This place is very-" Jackie didn't get to finish his sentence, because Hak Foo's fist was practically in his mouth.

"Gorilla Punch!"

Using this to his advantage, Jackie chomped down on the hitman's hand. Hak Foo removed his fist and clutched it in agony as he attempted to dislodge his foot from the pillar. Jackie spat a little to get the taste of Hak Foo out of his mouth, but there was no blood. Jackie put up his dukes, and Hak Foo recovered after mumbling, "Grizzly Bear Shakes Off Water…" whilst shaking the hand that Jackie had bitten. Hak Foo still couldn't dislodge his boot from the pillar yet, and he and Jackie both failed to notice the tremors.

Jackie rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as Hak Foo continued to attempt to dislodge his boot from the pillar. His attention was drawn to something else - namely the Enforcers moving in to corner him. They just leaped into the hole, and they were unhappy to see Hak making a fool of himself in this close combat area. Ice looked at Jackie with anger, and then yelled, "Okay, Chan. Strikemaster Ice will take the Dragon Talisman from you and give it to V-Man. Now."

Chan narrowed his eyes, and responded, "Don't you mean that stone dragon statue thingy that Valmont had in his office? What does that thing want with the Talismans anyway?"

Ice replied, "That is need-to-know information. The only thing I'm telling you about him is he breathes fire."

M.C. Cobra said, "Uh, speaking of fire…" as he pointed toward the pillar that the Dragon Talisman was in. The rock that it consisted of was starting to glow red, which was not a good sign.

Hak Foo felt something hot start to swell under his boot. He slipped his socked foot out of the boot just barely, and flipped and landed on the ground behind the Enforcers.

The rocks started crumbling onto the ground as lava began to trickle out of the cracks forming in the pillar.

Jackie, realizing what was happening, yelled, "This must have been a booby trap to keep the Talisman from being taken!"

Ice's face went pale. He said, "Lava melts Ice, right?" After a second of silence, he went, "RUN!"

The Enforcers turned and ran off into the cave. Hak Foo yelped, "Squirrels run from flooding river!" and ran off after them, with only one boot on his feet.

The pillar shattered, and lava flowed towards Chan. He immediately ran off after the Enforcers and Hak Foo, yelling, "Bad day, bad day, bad day, bad day, bad DAY!"

He saw a bunch of rock formations leading to a hole in the ceiling of the cave. He hopped up the rocks rapidly, before grabbing onto a stalactite and shimmying up it to the hole, which he climbed out of, escaping the river of lava. Then he ran through the tunnel and got outside, dodging all the heat vents that he had to dodge before.

As he emerged into daylight, he was relieved, yet a little singed, to have escaped.

His relieved face turned to a scared one as the Enforcers, plus Hak Foo, surrounded him.

Ice repeated his threat from earlier, "Let's try this again now that we're topside. The Talisman, or we liquidate you ourselves."

Jackie pocketed the Talisman and put up his dukes. The four Dark Hand warriors lunged at Chan but ended up tackling each other. Jackie had leaped twenty feet in the air and landed outside the 'perimeter' that the Dark Hand had set up. Not wanting to lose the Talisman to the Dark Hand, Jackie began sprinting away after taking one look at the pile of them. Hak Foo was the first to recover, and he was after Chan like no tomorrow.

Soon enough, Hak Foo had caught up to Jackie. They were nowhere within running distance of the nearest town, so Jackie sprinting away like that was fairly futile. Still, it gave Hak Foo a 'run' for his money. Hak Foo lunged at Jackie once he was within lunging distance and…

"Cougar Pounce!" Hak Foo cried. Jackie had no chance.

Jackie was tackled within two seconds of that cry, and Hak Foo managed to fish through the pocket that Jackie had stuffed the Talisman in. In three seconds flat, Hak Foo was clutching the Talisman and hopping off of Chan, purposefully putting as much weight on Jackie as possible. Jackie cringed at the weight put on his back, but the worst seemed to be over, or so he thought.

A helicopter approached Jackie and Hak Foo. In it were the Enforcers, and they threw down a ladder to Hak. Apparently, Jackie had given the Enforcers enough time to gather their wits and pile into the Dark Hand's copter. Hak Foo ascended the ladder with great speed, and Jackie had just enough time to get back up and start chasing the ladder, which was being pulled away due to the helicopter beginning to fly away. Jackie latched onto the bottom rung and didn't let go. Hak Foo noticed this. He handed the Talisman to Strikemaster Ice and descended upon Chan. Jackie just got up to the second rung when Hak Foo's foot came stomping down on his right hand. Jackie yelped in surprise but did his very best to not let go. Hak Foo snarled and doubled his efforts by stomping down on both of Jackie's hands furiously. Jackie let go and clung to the bottom rung of the ladder again. Swinging his legs forward and skyward, Jackie kicked Hak Foo in the back of the knees, which caused the red-haired man to lose his balance and let go of the rung that he was clinging to. Hak Foo fell, but not before pushing down on Jackie's shoulders. Hard. Hak Foo managed to keep within reaching distance of the ladder, and Jackie was forced to let go of the ladder. Fortunately, the helicopter was not too high off the ground, and Jackie didn't get too hurt by his fall. Jackie would've preferred something to latch onto, like a tree branch or a flag pole, but there was nothing in that desolate wasteland. Hak Foo's adrenaline was now running as he ascended the ladder to the helicopter cockpit. They had just gotten Chan off their backs, and their mission was complete. Hak Foo smirked once he sat down in the cockpit cozily.

Chan sighed in defeat as the Dark Hand flew off with the Talisman. It happened again.

His phone, which was still working, rang. Jackie reached into his pocket, pulled it out, flipped it open, and answered. It was Uncle.

"Jackie? Did you retrieve Dragon Talisman?"

Jackie grimly answered, "No, I did not. The Dark Hand just flew away with it."

Uncle screamed, "Aiiyaaah! Now Shendu has six Talismans out of twelve! He is halfway to being resurrected!"

Jackie flinched as Uncle's loud voice rang through his eardrums. After recovering, he asked, "What is the deal with this Shendu anyway?"

Uncle then started telling Jackie, "The dragon from Valmont's office, Shendu, was once an evil warlord of a vast kingdom in China. His malevolence instilled untold fear throughout the Far East as he sought to conquer all lands. Eventually, a warrior named Lo Pei started an uprising against Shendu, gathering some of his subjects and imprisoning him in stone, causing the twelve Talismans that gave him his powers to scatter to the winds. Those are the Talismans the Dark Hand have been seeking."

Jackie nodded in acknowledgement. Now he knew what he was up against.

Uncle continued, "If all twelve Talismans are returned to Shendu, he will be revived, and will deliver on a vow to destroy," he paused, then said in a low and dark voice, "all of Asia."

Jackie's eyes went wide and he felt his spine tingle as he heard that. That meant it was really bad that the Dark Hand got six Talismans. It was now even more important to keep the remaining six, including the one undiscovered Talisman, the Rat, from ending up in their hands. What he couldn't get around his head was why Valmont would deal with such a dangerous entity…

- At the New Dark Hand HQ -

Valmont paced a few feet away from Shendu and had a troubled look on this face. No matter how much money he spent… Valmont just couldn't get the old factory to be acceptable for his refined tastes. The place was ancient, ready to be demolished. There was a terrible draft, most of the machinery was broken beyond repair, and the place was absolutely filthy with trash, tools, and bugs – lots and lots of filthy, disgusting bugs. It was a good thing nobody came poking around, otherwise Valmont would unleash his fury on the poor unsuspecting citizen of San Francisco.

Shendu growled impatiently as Valmont strutted around. "Where is my Dragon Talisman, Valmont?"

Valmont turned, and told him, "They are working on it, Shendu."

Shendu scoffed, and then retorted, "They are nothing more than worthless boys who would rather dance to modern songs than do something useful."

Valmont shot back, "They are all I have now! Most of the rest of my syndicate are in prison now, thanks to Section 13!"

"Yes... That battle with the Chans was quite amusing." Shendu chuckled. "But now you have some vacancies, yes...? Shouldn't you be hunting for more henchmen by now...?"

Valmont seethed and gripped his cane tightly.

"I cannot... when most of the LOCAL grunts have been taken! Even working with a criminal syndicate, people still expect to get paid, Shendu! If I start searching across the country for new henchmen, they will expect more exuberant amounts of pay than local, small-minded dullards! Do you have any idea how much I LOST? I wouldn't even be able to pay minimum wage to a handful of new recruits!"

Shendu merely laughed at Valmont's situation.

"That does not concern me, Valmont... You are a felon, so why don't you commit a heist already...? Oh, wait... You would probably FAIL! Your children and your eccentric hitman would get you arrested if I were not here, Valmont!"

Valmont nearly broke his cane in two. Hours later, the Enforcers and Hak Foo returned, and that rage had still not subsided. Valmont met them outside the back of the rundown factory.

"Yo, V-Man! We scored the Talisman! Oh yeah!" Ice cried ecstatically

Valmont's right eye twitched. He had not expected this.

"You ACTUALLYdid your job?" Valmont skeptically asked. But the skepticism was dispelled when Ice handed him the Talisman. Turning on his heel furiously, Valmont tossed the Talisman at an old air conditioner. "Oh, that's just GRAND!"

Valmont unwittingly activated the Talisman, and as he tossed it at the air conditioner outside the factory, it combusted. The Enforcers and Hak Foo were wide-eyed now. Valmont just looked at the now-flaming machine in disbelief.

"Furious Dragon toasts Piece of Trash." Hak Foo mumbled, shocked.

Valmont walked over and picked the Talisman up. He turned around to his Enforcers and Hak Foo. The Talisman began bonding with Valmont's skin on his hand, and Valmont smirked.

"Gentlemen… I believe it's Payday."

- At Section 13 -

The phone booth doors opened, and Jackie walked into Section 13. Losing a Talisman to a crime syndicate working for a dangerous demon dragon had already made it a bad day, but then, with his return flight to San Francisco delayed, the flight itself with a lot of turbulence, and the airline losing his luggage when he checked in early, it was exceptionally frustrating.

He walked into the hall, and was knocked down by an agent running in panic. Then, sirens started blaring, and the entire place became frantic.

Jackie leaped to his feet, and ran off toward the control room. Captain Black was in there, and very upset.

"What is going on, Captain Black?" inquired Jackie.

"Well, Jackie... The Dark Hand - or what's left of it - is making a 'withdrawal'. Several 'withdrawals', actually. Before we were alerted, they had already hit two other places. I don't know how they're doing it... But they're charging into each place with a 'Bang!'"

Jackie's eyes widened.

"The Dragon Talisman! They figured out the power already? Why haven't they given it to Shendu?"

Captain Black quirked an eyebrow at Jackie as he said that.

"Uh... Jackie...? 'Shendu'? So they got the Dragon Talisman?"

Jackie nodded after shaking his head slowly.

"Yes... They got away with it... And now they're abusing the Talisman's power... And Shendu, the one who's really after the Talismans and using the Dark Hand, probably won't be happy to hear about this... We must get that Talisman back at once, before it falls into Shendu's hands!"

Captain Black was clueless, to say the least. But he went along with it, to 'humor' Jackie.

"Alright... We're already mobilizing. With much of the Dark Hand now locked up, it's just the Dark Hand's core and elite that are pulling off these heists... Let's move!"

- At the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco -

Ice and his crew piled the bags of money onto the cart as Valmont, with the Dragon Talisman in his hand, stood at the entry door with Hak Foo, ready to blast away any imbecile that came in. The first robbery had gone off without a hitch – they had hit a common bank, just to take the Dragon Talisman out for a spin. Then, they moved onto another common bank. Still no disturbance to their plans to reimburse their bank accounts. Then Valmont grew tired of common banks, and had them strike here, the Federal Reserve in San Francisco. It was a big leap, from common banks to a Federal Reserve, but one that would no doubt pay them back any losses they suffered to the Chans and Section 13, easily. It would definitely garner the attention of Section 13, but it was well worth the risk, with the Dragon Talisman at their disposal.

Outside San Francisco's Federal Reserve, Captain Black arrived with an army of Section 13 agents, Jackie, Tohru… and Uncle. The aides volunteered to stay behind at Section 13 and look after Jade. That was alright with Captain Black, because the Dark Hand was clearly outnumbered and outmatched here, or so Captain Black thought. He had no idea of the dangers that were within the four walls of the Federal Reserve.

"Alright… Jackie, Tohru… You two go inside first and scope out the situation. Unc, I know you're dying to get in there, but Valmont's packing Talisman heat, or so Jackie says, and I don't want you getting hurt. Besides, Tohru can probably handle anything Valmont throws at him. Right, Tohru?"

Tohru nodded and his neutral face did not betray any fears or concerns he might have about facing down a powerful Talisman. The Enforcers and Hak Foo would almost be no problem. Almost. The eccentric warrior would probably still cause trouble, but that didn't bother Tohru, because Jackie would probably attempt to take down Hak Foo. Valmont… Well, he might be the one 'packing Talisman heat'. After all, Valmont's 'warriors' didn't necessarily NEED a Talisman when they possessed adequate combat skills. Valmont had very little combat training, Tohru recalled. Or at least that was what Valmont wanted him and his cohorts to think.

Shaking his head to dispel the reverie, he and Jackie made their way inside the Federal Reserve of Francisco. Once they entered the gaping hole that was made by Valmont, Hak Foo lunged at Jackie.

"Crouching Tiger eliminates Pest!" Hak Foo screamed. Jackie was tackled to the ground, and he and Hak Foo rolled on the ground to achieve dominance over the other. The Ice Crew continued collecting cash as if nothing was happening. Tohru, meanwhile, stared down Valmont, who had an ominous golden glow about him.

Tohru stared at Valmont, arms raised in preparation to attack him. But before he could even make a single attack, Valmont spoke a cold-hearted threat.

"This is what I do to traitors, Tohru." said the Englishman. He held out his hand, and blasted Tohru with the Dragon Talisman. The sumo was blasted all the way out the door, taking out the sides of it and causing the doorway to collapse.

When he landed on the ground outside, Tohru was knocked out and his face was bleeding. After witnessing Tohru being repelled to the outside, Captain Black raised a fist and glared at the gaping hole in disgust.

"Valmont… Men, that clinches it!" Captain Black barked as he turned to his 'army'. "I want every single one of you to…"

Captain Black felt a firm hand on his shoulder, and then he was out cold. Uncle coldly turned to Section 13's reinforcements and gave out his own orders.

"Take Tohru back to Section 13! Or even better yet, hospital! Tohru needs immediate medical attention! Does not matter how many it takes to complete task! Rest of you leave here, now! Magic must defeat Magic! Anyone who defies Uncle will get piece of Uncle! You want piece of Uncle…?" Uncle questioned and motioned with his hand to bring it on. All the agents shook their heads. "… Good. Now move! Tohru needs help NOW!"

Section 13 mobilized once again. With ten men, they got Tohru loaded into a van and sent off to the nearest hospital, and with two men they hauled Captain Black into the van that he had driven there. They all left the immediate vicinity…

Meanwhile, inside the Federal Reserve, Jackie was fighting a losing battle. Sure, he was starting to best Hak Foo, but with Valmont firing at him with the Dragon Talisman, it made things much, much harder. Eventually, Jackie was backed into a corner. Hak Foo popped his knuckles and Valmont began glowing ever-brighter.

"Well, Mr. Chan… I suppose this is the end for you. You WERE a thorn in my side for so long… But eventually all thorns are removed, and life moves on. I shall miss you, I suppose. But only because our tedious task will be so much simpler after you have passed away…" Valmont sneered and raised the palm holding the Dragon Talisman. But before Valmont could fire, he was distracted.

"You think it is over, hmm…?"

Valmont and Hak Foo whipped around and came face to face with Uncle.

"You beg to differ, old man?" Valmont questioned acidly. His fury with Jackie slightly subsiding, but his overall fury burning when he saw the man that almost single-handedly took down his organization.

Uncle nodded.

"It is not over until Shendu possesses all twelve Talismans. Until then, Jackie will fight. And he WILL stop you from resurrecting the dragon."

Valmont scoffed and let his guard down a little, and so did Hak Foo.

"Well… At least we agree on one thing, old chap. It will be over when Shendu possesses all twelve Talismans. But we WILL resurrect that albatross, whether you like it or not!"

Hak Foo was confused after hearing Valmont call Shendu an albatross. Wasn't he a dragon? Well, it didn't matter, because Jackie flew at Valmont and kicked him hard in the back of the head. Valmont was sent sprawling on the floor, and Uncle motioned for Jackie to follow him out of there.

"Quickly, Jackie! We must leave here now! Aiyah!"

"B-But the Talisman!" Jackie stammered.

Uncle shook his head. Just then Hak Foo flew at Chan, crying out, "King Cobra strikes Helpless Mouse!" Jackie narrowly dodged, and Hak Foo stopped himself from crashing into the wall by holding out both his palms in front of him. Hak Foo growled. Jackie came to agree with Uncle on the urgency to leave there immediately. Currently, they were outnumbered. And against the Talisman, they had very little chance of surviving.

As if on cue, Valmont got to his knees and glowed brightly. He shot a death glare at Jackie and Uncle and aimed the Dragon Talisman at the both of them.

"Two birds with one blast… I like the sound of that…" Valmont snarled. He shot at Jackie and Uncle, but Jackie tackled Uncle to the ground before the blast reached them. Then, Jackie helped Uncle to his feet and pulled Uncle behind him as they zigzagged out of there, dodging the continuous shots that Valmont sent their way. Valmont was becoming increasingly angry, and it didn't help that Hak Foo and the Enforcers were just loafing around, lazily watching this unfold. "Don't just stand there, get them and bring them to me at once!"

With that command, Hak Foo and the Enforcers sprinted after the Chans. Outside the Federal Reserve, Jackie let Uncle go and spun around to face Hak Foo and the Enforcers. Of course, Uncle turned around and gave the Enforcers a glare. That was enough to at least make the Enforcers freeze in their tracks. Hak Foo, on the other hand, continued to run at Jackie. Hak Foo tried to 'Gorilla Punch' Jackie, but Jackie ducked and did a sweep kick that got Hak Foo off his feet and onto his behind. The Enforcers didn't dare move, lest the old man became prone to rain down merciless attacks on them. Of course, they were unaware that the Dog Talisman had been making Uncle feel youthful during the assault on their old HQ, but Uncle didn't care that he was deceiving them with his readiness to assault them. He would not let Jackie take on the four of them at once and be captured.

"You want a piece of Uncle…?" Uncle motioned with two fingers to bring it on as he got in a fighting stance.

"Peace out, Hak!" Ice said sheepishly. And with that, the three turned on their heels and ran back to Valmont. They weren't thinking clearly, obviously, because failure would probably earn them a beating from the Dragon Talisman, and they were failing V-Man by running away like that.

Hak Foo leaped up and prepared another assault on Chan, but he failed to notice that Uncle had gotten behind him. Uncle repeated what he had done to Captain Black, and Hak Foo collapsed in a heap. Uncle dusted his hands off, and put his hands at his waist.

"You clearly need more training, Jackie! Aiyah! Foolish red-head easy as casting chi spell."

Jackie winced, but duly noted Uncle's advice. They ran away from the Federal Reserve, and made their way back to Section 13 to learn the whereabouts of Tohru…

- At the New Dark Hand HQ -

Valmont, the Enforcers, and Hak Foo got back to the HQ half an hour later. Valmont was getting increasingly furious, and his cronies weren't making things easier.

"L-Look V-Man… We're sorry, 'kay? Uncle threatened us with his… uh… kung fu! … It seriously hurts, V-Man!" Ice whined.

Valmont gritted his teeth together and whipped around to face his 'failures'. The robbery had been successful, but they still failed to eliminate Jackie Chan when they had the chance.

"I don't care! You will receive a dock in pay for this… Unless you redeem yourselves." Valmont spoke ominously.

"W-What do we gotta do, V-Man?" MC Cobra questioned.

Valmont smirked as Hak Foo and DJ Fist began to unload all the stolen money into the factory, out of sight from Shendu. They had given Shendu an excuse that they were working on an elaborate plan to eliminate Jackie Chan. In a way, that was true. But Shendu would not be pleased to see them back so soon and then leaving again immediately, without so much as giving a report.

"… We're going to pull off one more heist that will put all other heists to shame, gentlemen. Help me pull this one off AND eliminate Jackie Chan, and I shan't need to dock any of your pay…" Valmont said. Ice and MC Cobra just looked at one another in confusion. "… Now. Help Fist and Hak Foo unload the rest of the money. Afterwards, we shall be making history, gentlemen…"

With that, Ice and Cobra complied…

- At the University of California San Francisco Medical Center -

Jackie, Uncle, the aides, and Jade waited patiently in one of the many waiting areas to hear about Tohru's current state – Captain Black returned to Section 13 and was doing his best to track down the Dark Hand, after they left the Federal Reserve of San Francisco. The doctors were taking a long time to get back with them, but that was to be expected. Tohru was a big guy, and it took more than one doctor to examine the man. His wounds didn't appear extensive on the surface, but perhaps there was more to them than it originally seemed.

"Is Big T gonna be alright?" Jade asked concernedly.

Jackie shook his head.

"I do not know, Jade… All we can do is hope that everything will turn out okay. I should've been the one to take on Valmont, not Tohru. But… Hak Foo did jump me the second I stepped in there, and I couldn't protect Tohru."

"Do not blame yourself," Uncle chastised Jackie. "I should have been in there when you were inside… Uncle was held back by Captain Black, and Uncle blames self for not disobeying order from Captain Black. However, the one to really blame is Valmont…"

Jackie nodded in agreement, and the head doctor entered the waiting room and took off his gloves. The doctor sighed wearily, but had yet to speak a single word.

"Hey, kiddo. Bet you're thirsty. Let's go grab a soda, huh?" Finn asked innocently enough. Jackie and Uncle approved Finn taking Jade away as the doctor probably had much to say. They didn't want to traumatize Jade, if the injuries were as bad as they speculated they were, and Jade seemed reluctant enough to go.

Jackie turned his attention back to the doctor after Finn took Jade away to get her a soda.

"Doctor… How is Tohru?"

The doctor wiped his brow of sweat and gave Jackie a small grin.

"Well, fortunately the injuries are only minor. Tohru's going to have to stay with us for at least the next three days, just to make sure he is okay, but he should be released to you as long as he continues to recover steadily."

"Well, how's he injured?" Ratso brought up a valid question.

The doctor's grin faltered a little, but it was still there.

"Like I said, they were minor. He has a few bruises – none of them too big, but they do cover his back. And he has some minor external bleeding – no internal bleeding to be seen, though, so that's fortunate. In addition to the bleeding and the bruises, however… there WERE some burn marks. Luckily, they were just first degree burns. They're being treated, and we do want to make sure they heal properly… How exactly was Mr. Tohru harmed, again?"

Jackie and Uncle looked at each other – Jackie at Uncle nervously and Uncle at Jackie pleadingly. Uncle wanted to tell the doctor the truth, and didn't want to give some 'lame' excuse and have the doctor question their integrity. On the other hand, Jackie didn't want Uncle mocked for believing in magic. Well, he didn't either, but if he let Uncle give the true explanation, he would need to support Uncle's story. Chow and Ratso just looked confused.

"Well…" Uncle started.

"It was… a criminal syndicate, sir. We just happened to be passing by, and Tohru got injured by them." Jackie half lied. It was the explanation that had been given to the medics when Section 13 brought Tohru in, and Jackie hoped it would work for the doctor here.

The doctor frowned, but shrugged.

"… Okay. I guess you can go see Mr. Tohru now. He's resting, so don't take too long."

Jackie nodded firmly. Before letting Jade see Tohru, he needed to make sure that Tohru would be alright for Jade to look at and comfort. It was now or never.

"Very well… We promise to not take too long."

The doctor took the Chans back to see Tohru. He was wrapped up in bandages and lying in a hospital bed, but the doctor assured them that it was just so that Tohru could rest, and not because the bed was needed for some other, alarming reason. For Tohru, they needed to use two hospital beds, as he was a big guy. After making sure it was okay with the doctor to bring Jade in, Jackie had Chow go fetch Finn and Jade.

"Mr. Chan…" Tohru grunted. He shifted in his beds a little and stared at all the relieved faces in front of him, blinking. Jackie patted Tohru's arm comfortingly and smiled.

"It's okay, Tohru… We're here for you. Sorry you got hurt." Jackie said consolingly.

"What were you thinking? Aiyaaah! Dragon Talisman very powerful! Talisman magic ALWAYS powerful! You should have been more caaareful!" Uncle snapped.

While Tohru would've taken offense to that, he knew Uncle was only expressing his concern in his own way. And to be honest, Tohru found their concern to be slightly unnerving. Before, when he worked for the Dark Hand and got injured, the Enforcers and Valmont would only check up on him every now and then – not every time he got injured. And whenever Valmont checked up on him, Valmont would always ask if he was well enough to help the Enforcers claim the next Talisman, if it were to activate that very day or the next day. They didn't care for his well-being, the Enforcers weren't true friends, and Valmont wasn't a kind and loving boss. Sure, Valmont paid him, but it was rather reluctantly at times, Tohru could tell.

But now Tohru had people – besides his doting mommy – that genuinely cared deeply about him. It did make Tohru feel better, he did admit that. When Jade and Finn walked into the room, the first words that came out of Jade's mouth were, "So, ya feelin' better, T?" She didn't pry into the painful battle, nor did she coldly ask if he would be ready to fight again at any given moment. It was strange, yet comforting to Tohru.

As Tohru and Jade started chatting, Jackie turned to Uncle and whispered.

"It's good to see that Tohru is okay… I should be getting back to Section 13, to see if the Dark Hand made another attempt at another bank. Section 13 will need me, if this happens again…"

Right before Jackie was about to turn around and leave, Uncle wacked him, and Jackie said, "Ow!" It didn't draw the attention of the aides, who were too busy looking on as Jade and Tohru chatted casually.

"Do not do anything rash… Your anger will cloud your judgment!"

Jackie rubbed his head where Uncle wacked him and moaned just a little.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, Uncle…" Jackie whispered defensively.

Uncle growled, took Jackie by the hand and led him out into the hall and closed the door quietly behind them, and summed up Jackie's emotions quite well.

"Tohru was injured by Valmont, and you are furious with Valmont! That anger is clouding your judgment! Aiyah! You are planning to rush into battle, and beat Valmont to pulp just to avenge Tohru! Do you not remember which Talisman Valmont possesses? You would be cooked before getting within reaching distance!"

Jackie waved a hand dismissively and began to walk away. He was half-aware of this, but he just HAD to help Captain Black catch the Dark Hand, even if it was his anger fueling him.

"I will be okay, Uncle! Do not worry! I will get the Dragon Talisman back, and then I will be back later to comfort Tohru. Please, Uncle… Understand that this is something that I MUST do."

With Jackie now walking away, Uncle was growing irritated. Jackie was not listening to reason, and that anger would get him in trouble.

"… I must assist him…" Uncle murmured and walked back into the room with a semi-forced smile on his face…

- At Fort Knox -

Valmont had Hak Foo land the chopper a safe distance away from Fort Knox. He just had to smirk. The Enforcers were awestruck that Valmont would even begin to PLAN an invasion on Fort Knox! Yeah, it was one of the biggest Federal Reserves in the USA, but that meant it was all the more heavily guarded! Still, with that Dragon Talisman in his hand, Valmont felt he could do just about any heist, and that meant breaking into Fort Knox in this case. The Enforcers thought Valmont – their BOSS – was nuts to even attempt it, but Hak Foo was willing to try it, if Valmont would lead the strike.

Getting out of the chopper, Valmont turned to his men.

"… Let me handle the security… Once I have them retreating, the four of you will make your way into the gold room. I shan't need to tell you that this is it, gentlemen… History. We're about to go down in history as the most powerful crime syndicate in the United States, if not the WORLD…"

Valmont sighed and steadied himself. Excitement and adrenaline were coursing through him, and it was making him rather energetic. After calming himself, he made his way to one of the four outer walls without sneaking up on it. The guards noticed him, suffice to say, and their warnings were shouted down to Valmont.

"Halt! This is government land! Stay where you are!"

Valmont sneered and aimed one arm at the center of the outer wall and fired. Alarms blared, and security was now moving. The guards had their snipers aimed at him, but Valmont didn't care. With two swift shots of the Dragon Talisman, Valmont sent the two guards flying. Once that was done, he turned his attention to the main building of the entire compound. He fixated on that and got ready for the battalion that would come running his way. Valmont shook his head at the foolish naivete…

- At Section 13 -

Klaxons were sounding all around Section 13. Jackie was used to them by now, and he coincidentally bumped into Captain Black just as he was leaving his office.

"Captain Black! What's going on?" Jackie inquired.

Captain Black whipped around to him and shouted over the klaxons.

"It's the Dark Hand! They've made a move… a really BIG one… They apparently want to leave a mark on history. Let's just hope that we can turn it into a failure of an impact! Otherwise clueless youth might think it 'cool' to turn to a life of crime…"

Jackie stammered as he posed the one question nagging at him.

"C-Captain Black… W-Where are they attacking and pillaging?"

Captain Black narrowed his eyes and said quite seriously.

"… Fort Knox."

- At the University of California San Francisco Medical Center -

Uncle and the aides were quickly making their way through the halls away from Tohru's room. Uncle had just told them that Jackie was planning to take on the Dark Hand to avenge Tohru, despite the injuries not being severe, and Captain Black called Finn to let them know that they were off to Fort Knox, and that they'd be coming over by helicopter to come pick them up. They might be late to the party, but they could still get there if the Dark Hand wasted their time attempting to pilfer all the gold from Fort Knox. Captain Black was worried about Jackie as well, apparently, and he wanted Jackie to have as much back-up as possible. If Section 13 could not gain clearance to Fort Knox, it would be up to the aides and Uncle to back Jackie up. What they didn't know was that Jade was tagging along, again, despite Tohru's concern over her wellbeing. He couldn't do anything to stop her; she was just too concerned for her Uncle Jackie. Stowing away in a baggage compartment, unnoticed, Jade was ready for the helicopter to take off. In minutes, the Chans were off to Fort Knox…

- At the New Dark Hand HQ –

Shendu tired of waiting for his Talisman. He cried out one more time very exasperatedly.

"VALMOOONT!" Shendu hissed loudly. Sighing, he summoned his Shadowkhan. Speaking to them fiercely, he said, "Fetch me Valmont, and fetch me my Talisman! I will NOT let Chan get this one… Just make sure you bring it to me quickly…"

The Shadowkhan all nodded in unison and melted into the shadows. They would make sure that Shendu got his Talisman…

-At Fort Knox –

As was expected, the very front gate patrol was still there, and they halted Section 13 from getting into Fort Knox. Fortunately, Jackie, Uncle, and the aides were able to sneak around the back, and they had no trouble sneaking around Fort Knox with a majority of the guards knocked out. Everyone was relieved Valmont hadn't gone all-out and KILLED them all. Of course, the fact that Valmont would go this far just to get money was infuriating enough for Jackie, but Jackie mentally added that crime to all other crimes that the Dark Hand had committed against the authorities and his family.

Before they got too far into Fort Knox, Jackie had Uncle and the aides wait outside until he had Valmont's attention. He did not want anyone getting hurt this time around – not by the Dragon Talisman, and not by Hak Foo. With a quick, "Wait here." Jackie ran into the hole that Valmont had created with the Dragon Talisman. Fortunately for him, he had a wall partition to hide behind inside.

Uncle turned to the aides, aggravated.

"Uncle will not let Jackie go in alone! Uncle says we will be right behind him every step of the way. Come." Uncle 'casually' ordered. Uncle walked over to some training rope and used it to climb to the top of the compound after throwing the grapple to the top of the building. The aides followed suit, not noticing Jade hiding behind a training dummy. Well, Ratso saw the training dummy just as Jade stopped, and he turned to consult Finn about it.

"Was that always there?" Ratso asked, confused.

Finn shrugged and began climbing the ladder.

"… Dunno. C'mon!"

Inside, Jackie was listening to the Dark Hand gloat about how easy it was to get into Fort Knox.

"Yo, V-Man! Nice job!" Ice cooed. He was way stoked about this thing going off without a hitch so far.

Valmont smirked as Ice and his crew loaded piles of bars of gold onto a forklift, which they 'borrowed' from Fort Knox.

"Yes… It is a pity that Tohru isn't here… He would've been thrilled to make his mommy so happy with a nice, fat bonus. But… Oh well. He IS a traitor, and traitors do not get to enjoy the laps of luxury! Wouldn't you agree?"

The Enforcers and Valmont cackled, and Jackie found himself getting more and more angry. He failed to see Hak Foo anywhere, but that didn't register. Just as he was about to dash over to Valmont and give him a firm boot to the head, it did.

"Welcome to the Ultimate Heist, Chan. We've been waiting for you." Hak Foo spoke darkly. Jackie whipped around to the source of the voice, only to find Hak Foo with his arms crossed and glaring at him. Jackie's eyes widened, and Hak Foo manhandled him and threw him out into the open. All eyes were now on Jackie.

"Well, well…" Valmont chuckled and walked over to Jackie, who was sprawled out on the ground. Jackie attempted to get up, but Hak Foo and DJ Fist were on him in seconds.

"Why are you dealing with Shendu, Valmont? Do you even realize what you are doing?" yelled Jackie as Hak Foo and DJ Fist held him in front of the Dark Hand leader.

"Now why would I tell you that, Chan? You have nothing in it for getting in our way." replied Valmont.

Chan growled. This supposedly intelligent crime boss still did not have an idea of what he got himself into. He shouted, "That dragon you are working for will destroy all of Asia if you release him!"

Valmont looked at him with a bit of disbelief at hearing that. The feeling of shock passed quickly, as he mentally reminded himself of what he was playing for.

He responded, "Yes… Well, that's… news. But why should I be concerned about that when I have the chance at the biggest payday any crime syndicate in history could ever achieve? It is even bigger than all the gold here in Fort Knox! Although, I must admit, this gold is still a nice change to the common riffraff we robbed before coming here..."

Chan groaned. He was hoping maybe telling Valmont the consequences of his actions with Shendu would get him to back out of this now, but he was just too greedy.

He looked around as Valmont raised his right arm and aimed the Talisman at him, and saw one of the target dummies moving around. Jade peeked out from behind it, then hid back and held still.

While not approving of her being here, Chan smiled, then shot, "So, what did Shendu promise you anyway? A treasure? A nice big treasure that puts the treasures of all other dragons, much less the world, to shame? And you think a dragon would want to part with his beloved treasure willingly?

Valmont growled in frustration at Chan's mocking rant. If he wanted to die, he was making it known.

Then Jackie switched gears, "Tell you what, Valmont. If this treasure means so much to you, I'll help you get it."

Valmont's anger faded. He dropped his hand, and then asked, "What are you talking about…?"

"I will show you where Section 13 is, and where the Talismans are in it. If Shendu is entrusting you with some super valuable treasure, I, as an archaeologist, would be interested in seeing what it is."

Hak Foo, while looking straight ahead, caught sight of the dummy Jade was hiding behind. He idiotically asked, "Was that always there?" causing everyone, including Valmont, to look in that direction.

Valmont replied, "I don't think-" before hearing bodies smack together. He turned back around, and Chan had used Hak Foo's and Fist's arms to knock their heads together and knock them out. They were on the ground, and Chan was now in a fighting position.

He sneered, "Oops. Missed your chance. I guess you'll have to settle for paying for what you did to Tohru instead."

Valmont turned to Jackie with wide, shocked eyes. But that shock was quickly replaced by anger. Valmont's temper spiked again and Valmont gritted his teeth.

"No, I don't think so…" Valmont spat spitefully. He moved his hand and aimed it at Jackie again, but fired this time. Jackie dove out of the way and did a barrel roll and was up on his feet, dusting himself off. Valmont furiously whipped around to Ice and MC Cobra, who were sitting there dumbfounded that Chan had turned the tables that quickly. "Don't just sit there! Get whoever's behind that blasted rag doll!"

Ice and MC Cobra turned to look at where Valmont was pointing, and saw Jade poking out her head behind it. Valmont had already turned his attention back to Jackie, and he was blasting with the Dragon Talisman feverishly. Jackie was dodging, but only just barely. Ice and MC Cobra ran over to Jade, ready to pounce on her, when she threw the training dummy, which was actually heavier than the two Enforcers thought it would be, and made them trip and fall. Ice got back up quicker than MC Cobra did, and Ice began chasing Jade around. MC Cobra just stayed rooted on the spot, clearly dazed.

Jade weaved between the bars of gold and Ice was in hot pursuit. Jade made two sharp right turns, but Ice missed Jade making the second sharp right turn and lost her momentarily. A few seconds later, almost in a comical fashion, Jade ran between four piles of gold and giggled behind Ice. Ice whipped around, but Jade wasn't there anymore. Jade's giggling could be heard behind him once again, and again Ice whipped around but just missed Jade again. The third time it happened – Jade happened to run right behind Ice – Ice whipped around and caught Jade and manhandled her.

"Gotcha, ya brat!" Ice gloated. Ice whipped around a fourth time when he heard that 'decrepit' old man's voice.

"So… You have got my niece…" Uncle paused, arms behind his back. "Do you really want to be holding my niece like that…?"

Ice backed up at Uncle's intimidating voice, but he still had confidence.

"Y-You stay back, old freak! Come any closer, and I knock this little brat into next week!"

Not caring for Ice's empty threats, Uncle coughed and took a step forward and got in a fighting stance.

"So… You want a piece of Uncle…?"

Ice began squeezing Jade tightly, and Jade yelped in response.

"I'm warning you, old freak! STAY BACK!"

Suddenly, Ice felt a tap on his shoulder, and Ice whipped around yet again and said, "Huh?" before getting socked in the face by Ratso. Ice let Jade go and reeled back, accidentally bumping into Uncle. Ice turned around fearfully and staggered back after noticing he now had no hostage, and that the old man would pummel him for the threat on his niece.

"You want to know how Uncle sprays for bugs…?"

Ice was taken aback by the question. He clearly didn't expect that. Still, this had to be some trick by the old man.

"N-N-No…" Ice stuttered meekly.

Uncle shrugged in response.

"… Okay."

Ice was even more confused now…

MC Cobra had been standing around in a daze for a while now. He didn't know who to help. He wanted to help Valmont take down Chan for good, but Valmont explicitly ordered him to go after 'the person who was behind the rag doll' – Jade. Well, that was a flop, because he had lost sight of Jade and Ice, and now he had nothing to do, honestly. Until Finn came up behind him and gave him a well deserved kick to the back. Cobra was sent sprawling on the floor, but he got up a bit quicker than when Jade knocked him down with the target dummy.

"You did not just do that…" MC Cobra growled. Finn just smirked.

"What happens if I did, punk? Whatcha gonna do? Got no one backin' you up, and you clearly can't take me."

MC Cobra lashed out at Finn, but Finn went and repelled Cobra back. MC Cobra tried an attack again and again, but Finn kept blocking each attack and driving him back. By the time he realized it, he and Ice were back to back, facing enemies on both sides. Ice smirked, now that the two of them were together.

"I'll take Disco Flunky and Rat-o… and you take the old man and the brat." Ice whispered to MC Cobra. In response, MC Cobra cried out, "What?" But it was too late. Ratso and Finn had maneuvered to Ice and MC Cobra's sides, and they crashed Ice and MC Cobra's heads together, and the two Enforcers were out cold.

Ratso turned to Jade and wagged his pointer finger at her.

"Your Uncle Jackie's going to be mad that you came along, little missy…"

Jade laughed meekly, but didn't try to defend herself. Jackie wasn't faring too well, she noticed. Despite this, Chow was now sneaking up on the Dark Hand leader. Chow lunged at Valmont's back and got Valmont distracted. Valmont, in a fury, struggled to get the short man off of him.

"Get… off… of… me…!" Valmont screamed with all the rage he had built up recently. Chow did not let go, no matter what. Valmont growled as Chan tried to pry the Dragon Talisman out of his hand. He was not giving it up after coming so far with this world record of a heist to end all heists! Not now.

Shadowkhan appeared behind Chan at that point, and pulled him off of Valmont as one reached into his hand with the Talisman. Valmont grabbed the arm of the offending ninja, and went, "No!" as he tried to keep the Talisman from being taken, to no avail. The Shadowkhan pulled out the Talisman from Valmont's palm, and disappeared into the shadows with it as the glow surrounding the Englishman faded.

More ninjas appeared and grabbed the powerless Valmont and his goons, and they pulled them into the floor right behind the one taking the Talisman, leaving all the gold behind.

Uncle and Jade walked up behind Jackie, as did his aides, and Jackie turned and looked at them with a "Sorry" look.

"The Shadowkhan took them away. Now it is certain this time that Shendu will have six Talismans. We blew it again."

A two-fingered slap on the head caused Jackie to go, "Ow!" Uncle retorted with, "There is still one Talisman left to find. The Rat. We must ensure that we, not the Dark Hand and Shendu, get that Talisman. If it and the five Talismans we have now remain in the vault, Shendu will never rise again. It is not over. Not yet."

Jackie nodded in agreement as Section 13 agents entered the area to take them out of there and back to San Francisco for the final stage of the hunt.

- At the abandoned factory -

"Shendu, I beg your forgiveness," wept Valmont regrettably, as he stood before the stone dragon. Six out of twelve Talismans filled the twelve slots in the statue, the Dragon having been added to them just minutes ago.

As badly as Shendu wanted to toast Valmont for taking the Dragon and using it for sport, and almost losing it to Chan, he still needed him.

"You have one last chance to redeem yourself, Valmont. The most important of the Talismans to me, the Rat, still waits to be recovered. That Talisman will restore me to my true form, and then, if you beg nicely enough, I will help you track down Section 13 and deal with Chan myself after I receive it. This IS your last chance."

Valmont grit his teeth, not at Shendu talking to him, but because he blew the Fort Knox heist, and almost lost the Dragon Talisman. Shendu was right, though. If he found Section 13, he could get the other Talismans that Chan got, and alter the playing field at this final junction.

The endgame was on.

- Meanwhile… -

In a candlelit room, a refined man in a gray suit, cape, and hat walked in. The man sat down at a circular table with four seats. All seats were occupied now. The place was not lit well enough for the faces of everyone present to be seen, but the man knew everyone here just by the outline of their figures and the fact that no one else knew about this meeting. He pulled out the 'package' that had just arrived and held it between two fingers for all to see.

"… The twelfth and final package just arrived. I must say… This Hunt has progressed rather quickly."

All the people at the table nodded in agreement. A burly, French-speaking man sitting to the man's left spoke up.

"Curious… Why would Master save this Talisman for last…? It is nothing special…"

The woman sitting across from the refined man scoffed at the Frenchman.

"Mallah… Do you not remember? This is the Reanimation Talisman!" The woman practically screamed, as if the explanation was common sense, and the Frenchman was just stupid.

"So…?"

A voice filled all their heads, and it wasn't 'the' voice, it was just the voice of the fourth person sitting at the table.

_It will reanimate Shendu. Master must fear this Shendu; otherwise this Talisman would've showed up much sooner…_

The man with the gray hat nodded at Specter, who had just used telepathy.

"… Indeed. Apparently, had the Dark Hand gotten ahold of this Talisman, Shendu would have been released much sooner, and would have collected the remaining Talismans on his own. There was always a chance that the forces of Good would have retrieved this Talisman, but why take the chance? The Master is never one to gamble, correct…? The Master has been spot-on about every single Talisman so far – the order the Talismans have activated, to which side each Talisman went… It is a little suspicious that this Talisman would activate last, but I will not question our Master. I, Teku, your esteemed leader, will not allow any of you to question the Master either. Is that understood…?"

All members of the group nodded in affirmation. The lone woman of the group, Lin, spoke up again.

"So… To which destination should we have the two sides race to? We have many options, and I must say – the Dragon Talisman was very amusing."

The woman broke into fits of laughter and chortled as well. Teku smirked and responded quite seriously.

"… San Francisco."

Mallah, Lin, and Specter all looked, eyes wide, at Teku. He couldn't be serious.

"After all that fanfare… Only to have them get the last one so easily…?" Mallah's voice rose slightly.

Specter closed his eyes and spoke telepathically to all of them.

_It does seem a bit strange, Teku… Why should we hide the final Talisman there…?_

Teku chuckled and folded his hands and relaxed slightly.

"Well… That is for me to know, now isn't it…? Master wants us to test the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, and we have yet to test them when a Talisman is so close to them. Personally, I would like to see both sides strategize against each other after one lays claim to the Talisman. It will be… quite interesting.

There was now heavy tension in the air as Teku said this. It WAS logical. Now that the Talisman Hunt was drawing to a close, they had yet to test both sides when the battle was so close to home. That didn't ease all of their fears, as some of them feared that placing the Talisman smack dab in the middle of San Francisco would just be too easy. However, Teku's mind was made up, and Teku had the meeting adjourned. They all got up to leave the room and Teku had the candles in the room extinguished before walking out. Teku was the last one out, and he was smirking as he had his hand on the door.

"Chans… The finale draws near… I hope you're ready to play your part…"

Chuckling, Teku left the now-darkened room…

**Well, that's a wrap on Chapter Ten! I know it was very similar to Bullies, and for that, many apologies. However, we have some great ideas for the finale, so they should more than make up for this 'disappointment'. In the meantime, 'mailbag time'!**

**Alana - Glad you're still enjoying yourself. Hope this Chapter was just as satisfactory!**

**D.J. - Sorry, this Chapter played pretty close to Bullies. Still, a fantastic finale is coming up, and that should more than make up for this Chapter. **

**A three-part finale is coming up next, and it's impossible for us to publish Chapter Eleven before New Year's. So... Happy New Year, everyone! See you all next year!**


	11. The Endgame

Uncle's Antique Shop was deathly silent. It was now the twenty first of January. The Shop was not yet open, and Jackie, Uncle, Jade, and the aides were in the backroom. Uncle's Talisman locator was tuned to any abnormal spectral readings; and for the past few weeks… there had been nothing. No reaction. Until that day, the locator had been stone cold and unresponsive. Today… it was glowing green. The Talisman HAD to be near; the readings were off the charts.

Turning to Jackie, Uncle said, "You know what you must do, Jackie… Retrieving Talisman is important, and the Dark Hand will do everything in their power to get it. If you cannot retrieve it…"

Uncle let Jackie and everyone else in the backroom finish the sentence on their own. Jackie nodded in understanding while the reality of the situation sank in for everyone. This was it. The last Talisman up for grabs. If they could get this one, Shendu would only be half complete, and they could stall Shendu's resurrection, perhaps indefinitely.

Finn put his hands on Jade's shoulders and gave Jackie a reassuring glance.

"We'll watch Jade for ya, Mr. Chan… You and Unc just go and find that Talisman."

Jade growled but didn't openly object. Jackie nodded and bowed, thankful.

"Thank you… We will move as swiftly as possible and get this Talisman no matter what."

Jackie and Uncle made their way out of the Shop, and the aides and Jade looked after them as they ran in the direction Uncle's locator was indicating. The four had full confidence Jackie could do this.

- At the New Dark Hand HQ -

"VALMONT!" Shendu hissed. His eyes flashed a fierce red. "It is time… the final Talisman has revealed itself, and it is VERY close. Closer than all previous Talismans. It is here in San Francisco. Get your men moving, or you will be punished severely!"

Valmont grimaced but complied. The Enforcers and Hak Foo weren't too far away; with the old HQ taken away from them, they lost much of their entertainment and space. Even with Valmont's money, they couldn't revamp the old factory too much. Valmont claimed there wasn't much room in the budget for entertainment. Not anymore. The most they could do was buy skateboards, do a little 'recreation', and turn the joint into a quasi-skate park. It wasn't the gnarliest place to skate, but it was definitely no amateur's park.

Ice just got done doing his third three-sixty-degree flip on a half pipe in a row when Valmont whistled with two fingers in his mouth, signaling everyone to cease what they were doing. Hak Foo was the first to respond, because he hadn't been skateboarding, but merely watching with boredom. DJ Fist, MC Cobra, and Ice, in that order, ran over after shedding their gear.

"Gentlemen, the day of reckoning has arrived… We retrieve this Talisman, and all our troubles shall be over. Shendu will be out and about, and we won't have to do a THING in order to eliminate Jackie Chan. So, your mission is this: Retrieve the Rat Talisman and come immediately back here. UNLESS Chan is the one to first get his hands on the Talisman, or he takes the Talisman from you, you are NOT to engage him in battle. Do I make myself clear?

All four nodded in affirmation. Valmont crossed his arms and his face darkened.

"Now… Go get that Talisman…"

- In a Deserted Alleyway -

It did not take very long for Jackie and Uncle to get a vague location of the Rat Talisman. They had spent no more than fifteen minutes, when the locator REALLY seemed to indicate that the Talisman was near. Of course, mid-search, the Enforcers and Hak Foo tailed the two Chans, and were up on the roofs overlooking the alleyway when the Chans entered it.

Jackie was the first to notice the Rat Talisman hanging by a wire attached to a shuriken that was lodged into the brick wall at the end of the alleyway. Uncle was the second to notice, and he thought that very suspicious. Ice made a few quick hand signs for Hak Foo to get down there and distract the Chans, so they, the Enforcers, could procure the Talisman. Just when Jackie took a step towards the Talisman, he looked up abruptly at an all-too-familiar shout.

"Angry Crow takes flight!"

Jackie yelped in surprise and held his arms up defensively, because Hak Foo was too close to dodge now.

"Wah!"

Hak Foo tackled Jackie to the ground after having leaped from the top of the rooftop he was on, and that had the Chans momentarily distracted. Hak Foo and Jackie were rolling on the ground for dominance. The Enforcers, meanwhile, all leaped down into the alley and got super close to the Talisman. This did not go unnoticed by Uncle.

"Heh, like takin' candy from a baby…" Ice smirked and detached the wire from the shuriken. After gazing at the Rat Talisman for a time, Ice looked up to MC Cobra's bulging eyes. "Yo… What's got you buggin' out…?"

Ice mumbled as he turned around to see what MC Cobra was staring at. It was none other than Uncle, of course. Uncle took advantage of Ice's shock and snatched the Talisman from Ice.

"Yes. Like taking candy from baby. You are baby, yes…?"

Ice glared at Uncle, and DJ Fist pulled the shuriken out of the wall. DJ Fist threw the shuriken with precision, but Uncle stepped to the side. Hak Foo had the misfortune of being on top of Jackie and being kicked off by both of Jackie's legs when the shuriken was flying in their direction. Hak Foo took the shuriken to the back and leaped up in pain. The shuriken was SHARP, and it was lodged in his back now. Because of it, he failed to register the Enforcers screaming behind him.

"Lion sinks in Teeth!" Ripping the shuriken out of his back very painfully, Hak Foo shot daggers at Chan with his eyes. "Black Tiger releases Claws!"

Hak Foo flicked the shuriken forcefully at Jackie, but, before it got even halfway to Jackie, the Rat Talisman collided with it and sent it harmlessly clattering to the ground. Hak Foo whipped around to find Ice, MC Cobra, and DJ Fist knocked out. Apparently, they tried to be brave, but the old man had been ruthless in beating them to a pulp. Hak Foo growled and was about to exclaim a loosely related 'battle cry' when he was forced to turn around again at a tapping on his right shoulder. Jackie had leaped to his feet and had a fist pulled back when Hak Foo turned around the second time.

"Fist hits Hak Foo." Jackie mocked Hak Foo and let him have it. Hak Foo staggered back and felt a very strong hand on his shoulder as he staggered back. Hak Foo was out like a light, exactly like the Enforcers.

Jackie walked over and picked up the Rat Talisman before turning to Uncle.

"H-How did you…?" Jackie started, but Uncle only harrumphed and crossed his arms.

"Enforcers still fear Uncle… Was not hard, like learning to ride bicycle."

Jackie groaned, but smiled, satisfied. He flipped the Talisman into the air and said, "Well… It looks like we won. Let us get this Talisman back to Section 13, and hope the Dark Hand never learns of the Talismans' location…"

With that, Jackie and Uncle walked out of the alleyway like nothing ever happened…

- At the New Dark Hand HQ -

Ice, his Crew, and Hak Foo trudged back into their HQ an hour after being incapacitated by Uncle. Of course, since they were empty-handed, they were not shown any mercy when Shendu chewed them out.

"Valmont… You are an IMBECILE! Putting your faith in these… fools… Can they do nothing right?" Shendu raged, his red eyes flashing a dangerous bright red.

Valmont quivered, but didn't lose his resolve.

"N-Now, Shendu… The endgame is still on. We still have the opportunity to claim the remaining six Talismans!"

Shendu fumed for once. Flames shot out of the dragon's mouth, and the earth shook faintly.

"You had better. The New Year APPROACHES! If I am not complete before the New Year is upon us, I will NEVER be able to resurrect my kingdom OR my army! And if I do not regain my Kingdom… you will not get your Treasure!" Shendu hissed.

Valmont recoiled from the dragon's fury, but he quickly regained his composure. Straightening his tie and turning to his Enforcers, he said, "V-Very well… I… I have a plan." Valmont cleared his throat. "Now… Here is what we do…"

- At Section 13 –

Jackie stepped out of the Vault and heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed like they were finally safe. Uncle had translated the inscription on the Rat Talisman, and it seemed like this was the most important Talisman of all. "Shendu would have been revived by this Talisman alone," Uncle had said.

"Motion to the Motionless… I guess it was fortunate that we got this Talisman." Jackie mumbled to himself. They had successfully averted a catastrophe of epic proportions. According to Uncle's research, Shendu would only deliver on his vengeance on Asia on the upcoming Chinese New Year's. If Section 13 remained undetected and safeguarded from the Dark Hand until after that hour passes, then it would all be over. China will be spared from Shendu's burning wrath.

"Jaccckkkiiieee!" yelled Jade, as she skated on a skateboard over to Jackie, before stopping in front of him.

"Jade. What did I tell you about skateboarding in Section 13?" said Jackie with a stern look.

"Tohru will be released from the hospital this afternoon. I got the aides to hold a party for him at Uncle's! I was thinking we could use it as the Chinese New Year's party, too!"

Jackie shook his head, before answering, "Jade, Chinese New Year's is TOMORROW NIGHT. Let's keep the festivities down until then. I do not want the Dark Hand to do anything drastic now that we are so close to their deadline. If the Talismans remain safe from Shendu until New Year's, they will have failed their mission."

Jade raised an eyebrow, and then said, "Ooh. So we beat the bad guys, eh?"

Jackie ruffled her hair, then went, "In a way, yes, but Valmont will no doubt be desperate, and willing to do anything. We have to keep our guard up. Once the New Year arrives, then we can party. Doesn't mean we can't hold a welcome back meal for Tohru at Uncle's, though."

Jade was frustrated with the fact that she had to turn things down for the "Party," but at least she could enjoy herself today.

"Alright, Jackie. See ya!" She turned her skateboard around and skated off, with Jackie yelling, "Wait! No skateboards in Section 13!" She ignored him.

Jackie sighed at his niece's behavior, but it was still a good day. Could have been far, far worse.

- At the Old Dark Hand HQ -

A few hours had passed since Valmont announced their last ditch effort to gain all of the Talismans for Shendu. As had been emphasized: This was their LAST chance. The very last. If they had retrieved the last Talisman, this 'last ditch effort' needn't have happened. Yet they had loused that up, and now they were paying for it.

MC Cobra paced back and forth in front of their old hideout, impatiently waiting for a certain someone to arrive.

"Man… When's she gonna get here, man? Section 13's probably watching this place like a hawk! We're gonna get caught if we hafta wait much longer…" MC Cobra whined.

Ice rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He was leaning against a pole, and DJ Fist was sitting in the limo, since he was the driver. Ice and MC Cobra were dressed in tuxedoes, and DJ Fist was dressed up as a chauffer.

"Tch. Man… You gotta be coo'. Think about it: Section 13's prolly woopin' and hollerin' that they won! They won't be eyein' this dump. They prolly think we wouldn't be dumb enough to come near here again anyhow."

MC Cobra changed the subject, but Ice's words didn't seem to comfort him.

"Where's Hak? Shouldn't he be here in case things go bad?"

Ice shook his head and kept an eye out for their target.

"Nah… Fancy tuxedo place didn't have a size for Hak. Hak's got lookout duty. If Chan rears his head, Hak's got our backs. 'Sides… Hak's red locks wouldn't win us any points with the windbag. We're supposed to play this nice and coo'. V-Man says we rub this woman the wrong way, and we're bound to get hurt. 'Member: We's takin' Big T and his momma out to eat at some place. We's wanna be 'presentable'. And no talkin' like this, 'ight? We got's ta not be suspicious. Youse dig?"

MC Cobra nodded numbly and began to sweat. He had heard of the horror stories of Tohru's mother. He did not want to 'see' the horror stories up close and personal.

"F-Fo' sho', man!"

Ice quirked an eyebrow.

"What…?"

MC Cobra slapped himself and stood at attention.

"Y-Yessir!"

Ice smirked just as a cab pulled around the corner.

"… That's betta. Now, here she comes."

A stout woman got out of the cab with a big bag and promptly thanked the driver. She was beaming, so that either meant the trip went well for Tohru's mother, or it meant she had lectured the driver and seemed content that the message was well-received. To Ice it seemed the latter, because she did not pay the driver at all, and the driver sped off as soon as she closed the cab door.

Turning to Ice, MC Cobra, and the limo, Tohru's mother seemed to be genuinely content as she gushed, "Oh, my Tohru is so fortunate to have such nice boys to work with! Coming to pick me up in a limo… On time…" Tohru's mother ended her gushing sourly as she shot an evil eye in the direction that the cab had fled.

Ice held out a hand to take the woman's bag. Obviously, she planned to stay for Chinese New Year's. Tohru's mother gratefully handed the bag to Ice, who instantly cringed at the weight of the bag.

"It's a pleasure to see you, Mrs. T…" Ice winced and hefted the handle of the bag over his shoulder. The pain was intense, but he tried not to show it too much. "Tohru had some… uh… last minute change in plans… He's gonna meet you at the restaurant, and we're supposed to take you there. That okay…?"

Tohru's mom nodded and smiled.

"My Baby Boy… He's grown up! Preparing a lovely dinner for his mommy!"

MC Cobra was silent the whole time. Ice took the bag, which was obviously way heavy to anyone paying attention, and stowed it in the trunk of the limo. MC Cobra meekly opened the backdoor of the limo and faked a smile for the woman. Tohru's mother didn't get in immediately. Pointing to MC Cobra, she said, "This one talk? Oh, I'm sorry! You must be mute!"

MC Cobra shook his head and was about to correct her, but she got in the limo and closed the door behind her. Ice snickered and elbowed MC Cobra.

"Well… If you're mute, you don't have to worry about getting on her bad side. Just zip your lip, and ya won't have a thing to worry about." Ice motioned to get in as he opened up the middle door in the limo.

MC Cobra growled, but said nothing as he got in. Ice got in last, and DJ Fist set a course for the restaurant…

- At the University of California San Francisco Medical Center -

Tohru's time at the U of CSFMC had been short, but easy. The doctors and nurses were very helpful, and he was allowed to walk about and do whatever he wanted. Granted, he could not leave the premises, but that was because the doctors wanted to make sure he was okay. Whenever he showed signs of discomfort or pain, the doctors took him back to his bed if it was serious, and just examined him otherwise.

Tohru still found it odd to be surrounded by people who cared about him, but the Chans did not disappoint him: They visited every day. Sometimes they brought flowers, and sometimes food. The aides had brought Jade to see him earlier in the day, and she ecstatically told Tohru that the last Talisman had activated, and that Jackie and Uncle had gone to retrieve it. Tohru felt bad he couldn't help the Chans get the very last Talisman, or the three Talismans before it, but the aides and Jade reassured him that it was okay. Tohru's recovery was most important, and Tohru was touched by their sentimentality. Half an hour ago, he was relieved to hear from Finn that Jackie retrieved the Rat.

A short time ago, flowers had been brought up to Tohru's room while he had been in bed to rest. That wasn't abnormal. Tohru was used to flowers by now, because agents of Section 13 were now beginning to see him as an ally, and they were sending their condolences. However, this time around, when Tohru asked the nurse to see who the flowers were from, Tohru wanted to crush them, no matter how beautiful they were. "To: Tohru, From: Valmont," the note had said. Instead of crushing them, Tohru screamed, which startled the nurse, and caused her to knock over the vase the flowers had been brought in, which in turn smashed the vase and sent the flowers sprawling across the floor. The nurse went to fetch a dustpan and broom to sweep up the broken shards of the vase.

Almost as if it was timed, the phone rang. The flowers had only arrived a few minutes ago, and Tohru suspected he knew who was making a call to him now. Tohru picked up the phone by his bedside hesitantly.

"H-Hello…?" Tohru stuttered. He was still trying to control his temper, and if it was someone other than Valmont, he didn't want to sound angry.

The voice on the other end was arrogant.

"Tohru… Old chap. How are you doing…? You get the flowers…?"

Tohru nearly crushed the phone. That voice sent him over the edge. He could not ignore his inner fury any longer.

"Valmont… The flowers were dropped. I don't know WHY that would happen…"

Valmont chuckled on the other end.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… And those were such EXPENSIVE flowers…Well, you're well enough to identify people. Good enough, I suppose. Tell me… How much do those Talismans mean to you? To the Chans…?"

Tohru frowned and glared at the ceiling.

"If you think you will get your hands on those Talismans… you are sorely mistaken, Valmont. I will NEVER do you another favor…" Tohru spoke darkly.

Valmont sounded disappointed on the other end.

"That's too bad… You see, we were thinking of taking your dear, old mommy out for dinner. I was hoping to make this a happy family reunion, but…"

Tohru sat up in his beds and went wide-eyed.

"W-What…?" His shock was quickly replaced by the dark look that had graced his facial features before. "If you hurt one hair on her head…"

Valmont laughed.

"Don't worry, old chap… Nothing bad will happen to her… But first you have to do one more little favor for me… And then you can run back to your new 'family', the Chans. Do you recall that big, Chinese New Year Ball being thrown at that amazing Chinese eatery tonight…? Here is what you shall do: Fetch me the six Talismans in Section 13's Vault, and bring them to the event tonight. I reserved us all a table, and I'm sure we'll have a jolly, good old time together. Do this for me, Tohru, and I shan't ever bother you again. But do nothing… and everyone there will have THE most horrid Chinese New Year's EVER. In fact, they won't even be able to EXPERIENCE Chinese New Year's altogether, because tonight will be their last night, ever.

Valmont paused to let it all sink in for Tohru.

"Just something to think about… Ah, and this is where I say, "Don't call the cops!" … Seriously, though… bring Section 13 into this at your own risk. One hint of Section 13, and… well… Use your imagination. Cheerio."

The call ended, and Tohru was at a loss for words…

- At Uncle's Antique Shop -

"So… No fireworks?" Ratso asked one last time.

Jade nodded and harrumphed as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah… Only a dinner. That's what Uncle Jackie said." Jade said rolling her eyes.

"We'd best set some off tonight, though… I mean, it'll be a nice surprise for Tohru… not to mention the amount of fireworks you had us get is way too much, even for Chinese New Year's. We'll easily be on the same level as the city's light show tomorrow night if we don't!" Chow exclaimed.

Ratso scratched his head.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinkin'… I still don't know how we afforded it all. Ya'd hafta take all of Uncle's earnings from the store for the past week if you wanted to get THAT much…"

As if on cue, Uncle's shrill voice cut through the whole shop.

"AAAIIIYAAAHHH! We have been ROBBED!"

Jade sheepishly grinned and slipped out the front door, leaving Finn, Ratso, and Chow to clean up her mess. Finn, who just came back downstairs after stowing away the fireworks for tomorrow night, looked to Ratso and Chow.

"… Jade didn't tell Unc, did she…?"

"You KNEW about this? Unc's gonna kill us!" Chow exclaimed.

Finn shrugged and smiled, a little embarrassed.

"Eh… Maybe we went a little overboard. But you gotta understand, the kid just wanted to make tonight and tomorrow night special… How could I say no?"

Uncle ran from the backroom of the shop all sweaty.

"Call Poliiice! Do not stand around! Aiyah!"

Finn, Ratso, and Chow gulped. Ratso and Chow inched behind Finn, and let him have the honors of spilling the beans.

"Well, um… Ya see, Unc… There comes a time in every man's life when ya, ya know… gotta live a little! Um… We just went out and bought some… fireworks! Really. That's all we bought."

Uncle's eyes bulged behind his glasses and he threw his arms into the air.

"EXPENSIVE fireworks! Aiyah! TWO weeks of profits are missiiing!"

Ratso and Chow stared at Finn, and Finn rubbed the back of his head as he grinned sheepishly.

"Well… There WAS the catering we ordered, too… Jade just wanted to brighten everyone's lives, y'know…?"

The room went deathly silent. Then, one word rang out in a very loud and very shrill scream.

"AAAAAIIIIIYYYYYAAAAAHHHHH!"

- At the New Dark Hand HQ -

The limo stopped a little ways from the rusty factory gates, and Ice explained the 'situation' to Tohru's mother.

"Gotta go fetch V-Man… He was talking to some of the City Council about having this place demolished and replaced… But he wasn't having much success at persuading them, so he needed to show them the factory. Be back in a flash!"

Before Tohru's mother could say anything, Ice shut the limo door and dashed inside the factory. Turning to MC Cobra, who she still thought was mute, said, "Not one for chitchat, is he…?"

MC Cobra shook his head and crossed his arms in front of his chest and snorted.

Inside the factory, Ice ran over to Valmont, who was looking himself over in a mirror.

"Got T's madre… So, we ready for this, or what?"

Valmont smirked and straightened his tie one last time.

"Yes, I should think so… Hak Foo successfully planted the explosives in the basement, so that whole complex will collapse, once we take our leave. Also, Hak Foo will be monitoring all activity from the surveillance cameras, so we are… set."

Valmont licked two fingers and ran them over his hair. Ice quirked an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"You sure we wanna go through with this, V-Man…? I mean, we're talkin' about mass murder here…"

Valmont frowned and turned to Ice.

"Do not question me… I know exactly what I am doing, and I will accept the risks. If Chan or Section 13 catches wind of us at that Ball, we will need a distraction for us to get away. They will either be so busy evacuating the place or disarming the explosives that we will be able to slip away. Let us just hope that our dear, old friend brings 'the goods'. Otherwise, we will have a very enraged albatross on our hands…"

Valmont smirked as he heard Shendu's hissing not too far away.

"I heard that!"

At the University of California San Francisco Medical Center -

Tohru was finally released after signing a few papers. Tohru was still in shock from the ransom call, and there was only two hours until the Ball. He had no time to waste, if he wanted to save the lives of everyone at that Ball.

Tohru took the bus to the phone booth that led into Section 13, and squeezed into that booth just barely. The booth closed on him, and flew into the wall behind it. The wall closed, and no one was the wiser.

Once inside Section 13, Tohru made his way to the Vault. He passed by several agents, and was only able to utter a simple, "Hello," as he passed each one. Tohru had far too much on his mind. Once he reached the Vault, he was pleased to find it open. That meant he wouldn't have to make a scene by tearing the Vault door off. Someone was inside, making adjustments to a security camera.

Kepler looked up from tinkering with the security camera and smiled at Tohru.

"Hey, big guy. Gotta repair some of the security in here, don't mind me.

Saying nothing else, Kepler went right back to work repairing the security camera. From what Tohru could surmise, the camera needed work done, and was not in operation. That made his job slightly easier, he would just have to make sure to not alert Kepler to what he was doing. While Kepler didn't believe in magic, he was probably told that the Talismans were valuable. Luckily for Tohru, Kepler seemed as absorbed into his work as usual.

Tohru's heart skipped a beat a few times as he opened the containment unit holding the six Talismans. Kepler didn't seem to notice, and Tohru began pulling out the Talismans one by one. When he pocketed the sixth Talisman, Tohru shut the containment unit. Then he made his way to the exit. But before he could step out and breathe a sigh of relief, Kepler's voice filled the room again.

"Mind putting those back, big guy…? Captain Black's not gonna be happy you're taking Section 13's most valuable possessions…"

Tohru swallowed as he began to sweat even more.

"Um… Captain Black wanted me to bring them to him… Since you are repairing the Vault's security systems, he wanted the Talismans near him personally until you are finished with the repairs."

Silence ensued for what seemed like an eternity for Tohru. Then, Kepler spoke again, not once looking up from the security camera he was repairing.

"Alright… Just be sure to have Captain Black come see me. I wanna make sure that's what happened."

Tohru nodded and numbly walked out of the Vault. Again, he wasted no time and promptly exited Section 13 after saying, "Bye," to everyone he passed. Once outside, Tohru heaved a sigh of relief. Maybe he WOULD be able to save countless lives…

- Near Section 13 -

Jade looked down dejectedly as she sauntered to Section 13. She hated leaving Finn, Ratso, and Chow to clean up her mess, but she didn't want to face the wrath of Uncle.

Just as she rounded the corner to the phone booth that led into Section 13, she walked into what she thought was a wall. A softer-than-normal wall, but a wall all the same. Jade backed up and shook her head.

"Gotta watch where I'm going…" Jade mumbled to herself. When she looked up, her eyes widened in realization. "T-Tohru! Good to see ya, buddy!"

Jade hugged the giant. Tohru smiled a little at Jade, but the thoughts of that night kept him sullen and silent. Jade looked up at Tohru's face, and suddenly felt saddened herself.

"T-Tohru…? What's wrong?" Jade asked, concerned.

Tohru sighed. He just couldn't tell her the truth. If he did, she'd run and tell Jackie or Captain Black. And if they got involved…

"D-Do not worry about it, Jade… I… I just need some time alone…"

Tohru broke away from Jade's hug and began walking away. Jade sniffled and wiped some tears away.

"Tohru…"

Jade stepped into the phone booth and made her way into Section 13. Maybe she'd find the answers she wanted inside…

- At the San Francisco Chinese New Year Ball –

Tohru's mother impatiently drummed her fingers on the table that the Dark Hand had reserved. She shot a bored look at Valmont, who was just sitting across from her and looking slightly amused.

"Where is my Baby Boy?" Tohru's mother finally asked.

Valmont took a sip of water and folded his hands as he leaned on the table and stared at Tohru's mother.

"Tohru had an errand to run… He is coming, I assure you…"

Tohru's mother harrumphed and looked around the complex; it really was quite a nice place. Beautiful crystal chandeliers that were huge, a spacious dancing floor, and all the tables, chairs, dishes, and pictures and candles – both along the walls and on the tables - were of the finest quality. But all SHE really wanted was to see Tohru, her 'Baby Boy'. She promised to be patient a little longer, but she knew her Tohru. Tohru would never be late, and he was being late right now…

- Outside of Uncle's Antique Shop -

Finn rubbed his irritated ears and groaned.

"Man… How can someone have a set of lungs like that…? You'd think Unc would've passed out after all that yelling…"

Chow shrugged and put his hands in his pockets.

"Simple. He's Uncle." Chow said, thinking that answered the question succinctly.

Ratso rubbed the top of his head and turned to Finn.

"Ya shouldn't have taken so much money, ya know… If Uncle HAD called the police, you might have ended up in the hoosegow."

Finn threw his arms into the air and sighed.

"For the last time, it was JADE'S idea! Gimme a break! I just wanted to help the kid out!"

Tohru looked up after hearing that voice nearby. It sounded exasperated, and Tohru KNEW it was Finn. Peeking around the corner, he noticed Finn, Ratso and Chow walking his way. Tohru dug into his pocket and pulled out the Rabbit Talisman. If he didn't use it now, he might not get to the Ball on time. Tohru took a deep breath and exhaled. Then, he was off like a bullet, rounding the corner and running down the street, avoiding Finn, Ratso, and Chow.

The three looked at each other with clearly surprised faces.

"Was that…?" Chow questioned.

Ratso nodded in agreement.

"I think that was…"

Finn whipped around and ran after the speeding giant.

"T-Tohru! W-Wait up…!

Fortunately for Finn, Ratso, and Chow, Tohru stopped at a site of road construction, and they were able to catch up to him. Finn breathed heavily and held an open hand out.

"T-Tohru… P-Please… Why do you have that Talisman…? Do you have anymore?"

Tohru grunted and looked for another accessible road nearby.

"I am sorry… I do not have time to waste, Finn..."

Just as Tohru found another road to take, Chow stuck out his foot and tripped him. Tohru crashed to the ground with a THUD, and the Rabbit Talisman was sent skidding across the street.

Chow put his hands at his hips and frowned.

"You better explain what's goin' on, Tohru… Why do you have the Talismans…?"

Tohru groaned and began to get back up.

"Please… Understand I don't have a choice… I… If I don't… people… people will die… Mommy…" Tohru muttered incoherently.

Finn, Ratso, and Chow looked at one another in confusion. Ratso scratched his head.

"Uh… What…?"

Tohru glared at the three aides and said, "I'm sorry." Pulling out the Snake Talisman, Tohru became invisible. Finn, Ratso, and Chow looked around, but couldn't see Tohru. They were about to call out to him, but Tohru picked up the Rabbit Talisman, which was a little ways away, and sped off. Finn whipped out his phone and dialed Jackie. This was bad…

- Outside of Section 13 -

Jade ran outside the booth after hearing what had happened. Section 13 was on Red Alert now, and Captain Black was having all personnel gearing up for a hunt for Tohru, who had taken the Talismans without permission. Captain Black, though circumstances suggested otherwise, believed firmly that something was wrong, and that Tohru was NOT betraying them. Jade was relieved to not be the only one to think so, and she was going to aid the search for her new friend in any way she could. She had taken Kepler's jetpack, even though she was explicitly told not to.

Activating the jetpack, Jade started hovering in the air and looked in the direction where Tohru had been walking after briefly talking to her.

"I'm coming, T…"

With that, Jade was off on her search.

- At the Old Dark Hand HQ -

Tohru stopped by the old Dark Hand HQ to catch his breath. While he barely did any of the running, that distance still made him winded. He had deactivated the Snake Talisman moments before stopping to catch his breath, and he was sure Section 13 and Jackie would be unable to find him. How wrong he was.

Tohru looked at a nearby clock and noticed he still had twenty minutes until he had to be at the Ball. He would make it, no doubt about it. But that meant the Chans and Section 13 still had time to find him, so Tohru promised himself he would only rest for a few minutes. But just as he was about to get going again, Jackie came running up to him. He seemed pretty winded.

"T-Tohru… Please… Stay where you are!" Jackie breathed in and exhaled. He was about to go on, but Tohru spoke next.

"I am sorry, Mr. Chan… I cannot do that. If I do not get the Talismans to Valmont, people will DIE. My MOTHER is being threatened here, and I CANNOT let harm come to her. In addition to that, many more people will die if I do not act and come bearing the Talismans. I am very sorry, Mr. Chan… But I must be going."

Just as Tohru turned around, Jackie cried out.

"WAIT! You do not understand what you are about to do! If you hand those Talismans over to Valmont… Shendu will… MANY MORE PEOPLE WILL DIE! ALL OF ASIA WILL BE DESTROYED" Jackie yelled at the top of his lungs, eyes shut tight. Unfortunately, mid-speech, his words fell on deaf ears. Or rather, ears that were no longer there to listen to him. Jackie had lost Tohru at, "You do not understand what you are about to do!" But Jackie did not realize until he was too late.

Jackie had been out shopping for New Year's when Finn had called. Finn had said Tohru had taken the Talismans out of the Vault, and Finn had given him vague directions on where Tohru was speeding off to. Jackie deduced that Tohru might stop at the old Dark Hand HQ, but it was just a hunch. Perhaps that's where Valmont would meet Tohru. But that apparently wasn't the case. Jackie did not like to think that Tohru might be betraying them, but he could not deny that possibility. Now he felt ashamed of himself for even considering that a possibility. Mulling over Tohru's words, Jackie came to the conclusion that Tohru was being coerced into doing this.

"If 'many people' are being threatened… Then that means Valmont will be meeting Tohru in a very crowded area… And if Tohru's mother is being threatened, she may very well be a hostage…

Then it dawned on Jackie, and Jackie smacked his forehead.

"The San Francisco Chinese New Year Ball! Of course! That's going to be the most crowded area tonight! And it starts in…" Jackie looked around for a nearby clock, and was fortunate enough to spot the one Tohru had glanced at. "FIFTEEN MINUTES!"

Jackie yelped. He really had no time to waste. Jackie panicked, however. On foot, it would take him over fifteen minutes to reach the Ball. He might not be able to make it in time for the trade-off. Jackie whipped out his phone and dialed Captain Black.

"C-Captain Black, we have a situation!" Jackie paused as Captain Black informed him that Tohru had taken the Talismans in the Vault. "Yes, yes! I know that, Finn called and told me. Listen, Tohru took the Talismans because Valmont threatened his mother and everyone attending the Chinese New Year Ball! Please, get everyone at Section 13 mobilizing, we don't have time to lose!"

Jackie inhaled and exhaled slowly after Captain Black assured him he'd get every agent in Section 13 on it. The problem was, Jackie might not make it to the "Party" on time. Just then, Jackie heard an all-too-familiar voice overhead, and he looked up to see Jade using the jetpack again.

"Jackie! Tohru has the Talismans! If the Dark Hand gets ahold of them-"

Jackie shook his head and bit back the desire to chastise Jade for using the jetpack again. This was his one shot at making it to the Chinese New Year Ball.

"I know, Jade! I need you to get me to the Chinese New Year Ball! Quickly!"

Jade's eyes bulged in realization; and Jade swooped down to pick her Uncle up. Then Jade accelerated, and they went zooming off toward the Ball…

- At the San Francisco Chinese New Year Ball -

Hak Foo had long since knocked out the security guards at the Chinese New Year Ball, and had commandeered the security control room. After knocking out the guards, Hak Foo locked them in a cleaning closet. Then, he eyed each security camera image like a hawk. It was his job as lookout to catch any hint of Section 13, if they showed up uninvited, and alert Valmont, who had the trigger for the explosives beneath the complex. Once Hak Foo spotted Tohru amongst the party guests filing into the complex, he alerted Valmont.

"Big Squirrel brings Nuts to Tree…" Hak Foo spoke into his communicator.

Valmont smirked after hearing Hak Foo's voice through his communicator. Perhaps this last ditch effort might work after all. Turning to DJ Fist, who was now disguised as a busboy, he said, "Go and show our friend to our table, will you?"

DJ Fist saluted Valmont and made his way to the front of the complex, where Tohru stood looking for any sign of the Dark Hand. Tohru's mother looked hopeful at Valmont.

"Is my Baby Boy finally here…?"

Valmont chuckled and took another sip of water.

"Yes, my dear… Tohru has arrived."

Ice and MC Cobra were leaning back in their chairs, which were on either side of Valmont. Tohru would be seated next to his mother. MC Cobra snorted and Ice rolled his eyes at the news.

"'Bout time…" Ice mumbled.

DJ Fist got into Tohru's line of vision and motioned for Tohru to follow him. Tohru grudgingly obeyed. In just under a minute, Tohru was reunited with his mommy.

"Mommy…" Tohru joyfully cried.

Tohru's mother smiled and hugged her Baby Boy's face as he leaned down.

"Tohru! It is good to see you!" Tohru's mother cried. She wasn't about to be mad that Tohru was 'late' – it WAS ten minutes until the Ball officially started - Mr. Valmont had said that Tohru bought the table all by himself. She was very proud of him.

Valmont stood up to shake Tohru's hand. For his mommy, Tohru shook the extended hand, even though internally he was raging at the fact that this man would have the gall to kidnap his mother and threaten her life.

"Did you bring the items, old chap…?" Valmont inquired

Tohru grunted, but dug in his pouch pocket with both hands and held out the six Talismans to Valmont.

"Here you go, 'Master'…" Tohru said as spitefully as he could. If he sounded too spiteful, his mommy would grow suspicious. Luckily for him, his mommy did not notice the spite in his voice.

"Well, since the Ball is about to start… What are we going to eat tonight, Tohru…?"

Tohru blinked and realized that Valmont had kidnapped his mommy in a very unconventional manner. He must have convinced her he was putting on this show tonight, or something to that effect. Despite the circumstances, Valmont smiled after pocketing the six Talismans. He didn't leave Tohru to explain something that he couldn't, even though he very well could have.

"Ah… We will be enjoying several exemplary Chinese dishes, madam… They will be of the finest quality, I assure you. Tohru and I have eaten here on many special occasions. Isn't that right, old chap…?" Valmont chuckled.

Tohru blinked again. Valmont was telling the truth for once. Now that he thought about it, this restaurant was very popular in San Francisco; one of the best Chinese eateries in town.

"Y-Yes, sir…" Tohru uttered. He was still furious with Valmont, but he had to keep up a facade of civility for his mommy.

Valmont continued to laugh and motioned for Tohru and his mother to sit. Ice and MC Cobra never left their seats, but they were shooting smirks at Tohru.

"Well… Have a seat then, hmm…? The night is young, and I just KNOW that tonight will be a very enjoyable evening."

Valmont seated himself after Tohru and his mommy sat down. Valmont let Tohru's mother start up conversation with her Baby Boy, and he smirked to himself. He SHOULD just up and leave while he still had the Talismans, but there was still plenty of time to deliver the Talismans to Shendu and meet the deadline. Watching Tohru squirm and try to be civil with him in front of his mother was way too much fun.

Yes, that evening would be very enjoyable… for Valmont.

- Outside the San Francisco Chinese New Year Ball -

Jackie arrived just as the last of the guests flooded into the restaurant. He promptly turned around and gave Jade a stern look.

"Jade… I thank you for bringing me here. However, now I want you to fly straight back to Section 13. Whatever Valmont has planned in there, it will be very dangerous. PLEASE, just this once, LISTEN to me and do as I say!" Jackie pleaded.

Jade let out a nervous laugh.

"Hehe… Um… Can't."

Jackie blinked in confusion.

"Wha? Why can't you…?" Jade pointed to the fuel meter, which measured 'E' for Empty. Jackie slapped his forehead.

"Oh well! Guess I'll just HAVE to come inside..." Jade stated with false disappointment. Though before she could take a single step forward, Jackie held out an open palm.

"No, Jade… That means you will stay out here until this crisis is resolved. Captain Black should be here soon, and he should be bringing the aides and Uncle. The aides will watch over you."

Jade moaned.

"Awww…"

Satisfied, Jackie turned back around to the restaurant and ran up to the front door. However, before he could get inside, he was stopped by a bouncer. A bouncer in a tuxedo, but a bouncer nonetheless.

"Name?" The bouncer said in an irritated tone. Obviously, Jackie hadn't been the only one to hurriedly try and enter the restaurant that night.

Jackie rubbed the back of his head and gave a nervous grin.

"Eh… Jackie Chan…?"

The bouncer looked over his list of names and shook his head.

"Sorry… No 'Jackie Chan' here. Maybe next year, buddy."

Jackie frowned and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"I'm… actually one of the busboys. I had to go out to eat, and I left my uniform inside. Ehe…"

The bouncer sighed and jabbed a thumb to the right.

"Employees get in through the back or side entrances… Not the front. You're cutting it pretty close, my friend. The event's about to start."

Jackie continued to nervously smile, but he nodded in understanding.

"Th-Thank you!"

Jackie bowed slightly and ran to the side entrance. He was unaware that he was spotted by a certain crimson-haired hitman.

Hak Foo picked up his communicator and duly warned Valmont.

"Irksome Cockroach infiltrates House."

- Inside the San Francisco Chinese New Year Ball -

Inside the restaurant, Valmont frowned. His communicator was a small, nearly unnoticeable earpiece, and Hak Foo's voice was only heard by him. He tapped his temple with his index finger and turned to DJ Fist, after seeing that Tohru and his mother were distracted with their conversation. It was almost like they weren't having dinner with a crime syndicate.

Valmont whispered to Fist, "We have a pest problem… A la Jackie Chan. … Deal with him. Make sure he does NOT crash our little party…"

DJ Fist saluted Valmont and proceeded to search for Jackie on his own. Valmont then turned to Ice and MC Cobra and whispered, "Fist will be looking for Chan… I need you two to go and assist him, because Chan may very well overpower him if he is alone."

Ice's eyes bulged and he began to sweat.

"Chan is HERE…? Dang… Well, c'mon Cobra. We gotta stop that party crasher…" Ice spoke in a hushed whisper as well. Still playing the mute for the sake of Tohru's mother, MC Cobra nodded. They got out of their seats and swiftly walked over to DJ Fist, who had gotten fairly into the sea of people separating them from all the exits. DJ Fist was headed for the side entrance, so Ice and MC Cobra followed suit.

All the whispering and Ice and MC Cobra getting up to leave did not go unnoticed by Tohru's mother.

"Where are you sending those nice boys off to now, Mr. Valmont…?"

Valmont gave a grin and shook his head.

"Ah… Nothing. Just a small technicality. Nothing to worry about."

Valmont turned to Tohru and shot him a brief glare, because he was chuckling a little and smirking.

_I do believe Tohru needs to be reminded who is in charge here… _

Valmont thought bitterly to himself. While he wanted nothing more than to detonate the explosives and promptly leave, he did not want to arouse suspicion. Not yet, anyway. Only when things got messy would he retreat. Only then. And right now, things were not messy. But they could get messy…

- Outside the San Francisco Chinese New Year Ball -

Captain Black and practically all of Section 13 arrived. Into his walkie talkie, Captain Black started yelling out orders. Jade ran over to Captain Black just as he began doing this.

"Alright… I want a perimeter set around this place, stat! Not only that, but I want agents swarming the back and side entrances. Be warned, though, I do not want to cause a scene. Not yet. So stay in the kitchen and hallways UNTIL we get a clear picture of what we're dealing with here. Valmont is probably aware of our presence now, but we can't rush into this with so many potential hostages inside. Flyboys, I leave it to you to get that picture, ASAP. Everybody MOVE!

Captain Black pocketed his walkie talkie and turned to Uncle, Finn, Ratso, and Chow.

"Uncle… I want you and me to stay out here with Jade. Finn, Ratso, and Chow, I'm leaving it up to you to get in there with my men and back Jackie up. He probably has Valmont's elites to tango with. While he can do just fine on his own, I want to defuse this situation as quickly as possible. And if that means taking down the few men Valmont has to work with… So be it.

Finn, Ratso, and Chow blinked in amazement. Usually they were given the task of babysitting Jade. But if Captain Black was confident enough that they could aid Jackie… who were they to argue?

"Well? Don't just stand there! Move!"

Finn, Ratso, and Chow did mock salutes and followed Section 13 agents to the side entrance. With them now gone, Captain Black could turn his attention to the tugging on his coat. Captain Black looked down and saw none other than Jade tugging at his coat.

"Captain Black… Can't we help at all? I mean…"

Captain Black shook his head and ruffled Jade's hair.

"Until we get a visual of the threats in there, I can't promise anything, squirt. We'll just have to sit tight and hope that we can stop the Dark Hand…"

Jade moaned. She didn't like to wait, and she didn't like feeling helpless…

- Inside the San Francisco Chinese New Year Ball -

Hak Foo noticed the heavy increase in activity outside. He mumbled into his communicator, "Irksome Cockroach multiplies… Section 13 approaches!" The last bit ended in a shout, but Valmont got the message all the same.

Valmont growled lowly and tensed some. Getting out of there would be very tricky. Well, tricky for his men. Valmont had the Snake and Rabbit Talismans at his disposal; he could sneak out of there without any sort of problem. But Valmont was not about to abandon his remaining men. He would just have to be patient until an opportune time arose for him to start the countdown for the explosives.

"Irksome indeed…" Valmont spat and took a big drink of water.

Elsewhere in the restaurant, Jackie managed to find a spare busboy uniform that fit him. He did not waste anytime in finding Ice, MC Cobra, and DJ Fist. They stopped him from entering the Grand Ballroom at all.

"Chan… Didn't know you got an invite…" Ice sneered. DJ Fist cracked his knuckles and MC Cobra steeled himself for what would probably be a very painful battle with Chan.

Jackie got into a fighting stance, but took note of his surroundings. There was a flap that separated the kitchen from the small area that led into the Grand Ballroom, and Ice, MC Cobra, and DJ Fist were almost straight across from it. That information might help him later, but for now, it did nothing. Directly across from the kitchen was the exit to the outside. Again: Helpful later, but not now.

Jackie leaped back as DJ Fist came swinging at him with his arm. It was a foreseeable move in itself, but Jackie knew it was just a distraction. As soon as DJ Fist swung and missed, MC Cobra leaped at him with a kick. Jackie ducked and rolled on the ground as MC Cobra was sent flying into a pile of stacked pans and kitchen utensils. Jackie was back on his feet in three seconds flat, and he knew Ice was the 'real' attacker. Ice was practically inches away from Jackie as Ice hit him with a barrage of punches. The punches hit him squarely in the chest, and Jackie moaned with each punch thrown. Just when Jackie had recovered enough to block what he thought would be the next punch, Ice threw in a kick, and Jackie went reeling back into a wall and slammed into it. Jackie was surprised the cooks in the kitchen hadn't heard their scuffle and came to check what was going on when MC Cobra collapsed into the pile of unused kitchen utensils, but they must have been preparing last minute entrees of food for the event. Even after slamming into the wall, still no one came. Jackie groaned and tried to stand up, but found he really hurt this time. Ice was getting better as time went on. Somehow.

MC Cobra had gotten up again by this point and was cackling at Jackie as Jackie just sat there, slumped against the wall.

"How's it feel, Chan? We been receivin' a woopin' from you too many times to count! Payback time!"

The Ice Crew exchanged high fives and were very proud of themselves. It was at this time that Jackie noticed Finn sneaking his way into the kitchen. Also at this time, Jackie continued to moan and groan, to keep the Ice Crew distracted. Their placement was just right, if Finn was planning what Jackie thought he was planning.

And Finn didn't disappoint. Just as Ice was about to gloat, an empty cart that was supposed to carry large amounts of food out at one time came zooming out of the kitchen and smashing into the Ice Crew. Finn was pushing the food cart, and Ice, MC Cobra, and DJ Fist were shoved out of the exit. The Ice Crew recovered quickly outside, but noticed they were surrounded by Section 13 agents. Ice had only one thing to say before they fought for their freedom.

"… Snap."

And with that, they assaulted Section 13 personnel…

Back inside, Chow and Ratso joined Finn and Jackie.

"How… Why are you guys in here? Where's Jade?"

Finn chuckled and put a hand on Jackie's shoulder.

"Relax, compadre. Jade's with Unc and Captain Black. CB sent us in to assist you, so… Here we are!" Finn smiled and spread his arms wide, indicating he, Ratso, and Chow were there to help.

In response, Jackie smiled and nodded in understanding.

"You are helpful when it comes to situations like these… Thank you. I'll be sure to give you all a bonus in addition to your Holiday bonus."

Chow pumped his fist into the air gleefully, and Ratso cleared his throat.

"So… What's going on, Mr. Chan? Any clue as to what Valmont has waitin' for us in this place…? How's he gonna kill all these people… if he is threatening to do so?"

Jackie shrugged and frowned.

"I do not know… But we must be very careful. I have not seen Hak Foo yet, and I expected him to be the first person to greet us inside… If Valmont has this many hostages, it's very possible that explosives are involved. It's certainly one way to keep us busy while he makes off with the Talismans."

After checking in on the cooks in the kitchen, to make sure they weren't shaken up by the fighting immediately outside the kitchen, Jackie and the aides made their way into the Grand Ballroom to locate Tohru, his mother, and Valmont. Section 13 personnel flooded into the kitchen and the area immediately outside the kitchen, not yet moving into the Grand Ballroom…

Inside the Security Control Room, Hak Foo growled and slammed his fists onto the desk in front of him. The Enforcers were ousted from the complex, and they were barely getting away from the Section 13 forces outside. He himself might have a tough time getting away this time. Valmont had it easy; he had the Talismans, so Hak Foo didn't have to worry about HIM getting away in time. Still, he needed to confer with his leader before making his own escape.

"The Enforcers were just ousted from the building, Valmont… The Chans are in the Ballroom now. What happens now…?"

Truth be told, Valmont did not know what to do. The explosives had a twenty minute countdown, and there were no doubt Section 13 agents waiting outside. Even with the Talismans, it took one slip, and it'd all be over. In a way, he DID know what to do. It was time to take their leave, but they were taking a very big risk with all the Section 13 forces outside. Hak Foo said they had swarmed around the complex and some had even begun to invade it, but he did not give any specifics. Valmont HATED not knowing everything to the very last detail.

"I have no choice… Hak Foo, get out. Get out and lead the Enforcers back to Headquarters. I will meet you there. Take the emergency helicopter and just GO. I am triggering the explosives now, and I will not lose a single one of you. I NEED your muscle, understand? Do not worry about me, I shall escape. If it is the last thing I do."

Hak Foo bolted from the Security Control Room. He did not need to be told twice.

"Mouse flees from Vicious Cats!" Hak Foo cried as he went up the fire exit that led to the helipad. He was relieved to see the helicopter still there, intact, but he was not so relieved to see all the helicopters swarming the building. No doubt he'd be seen, but he had to be swift. Lunging into the helicopter, he keyed the ignition and lifted into the air. The endgame was accelerating to its climax most definitely…

- Outside the San Francisco Chinese New Year Ball -

Captain Black began getting Intel on the ins and outs of that complex. Surprisingly, there wasn't much to worry about. Valmont only had the Enforcers and Hak Foo – no other hired help, it appeared – and the complex held no surprises with turrets or anything like that. No. What disturbed Captain Black was the report of the amount of explosives beneath the complex. With that much explosive, one could level that entire complex by making it collapse. They would have to act fast in defusing those bombs if they wanted to save the lives of everyone inside.

Among the latest reports, the Enforcers were beating back Section 13 personnel just barely, and they were slowly getting away. In addition, Hak Foo was manning a chopper and preparing to leave. Without Valmont. That meant the Crime Lord had the Talismans that Section 13 had gathered, and that made him very dangerous. The flyboys assured Captain Black they would do everything in their power to halt Hak Foo's escape, but Hak Foo was a clever man. He would probably escape their clutches when all was said and done. The Enforcers… Captain Black reasoned that they could be caught if enough Section 13 personnel were sent after them. Unfortunately, with the threat of explosives lingering, that meant they didn't have time to waste, and that as many people as possible would be required to evacuate the building and deactivate the bombs. Captain Black suspected he might lose some men tonight, but sacrifices would have to be made. Captain Black would not let a single innocent civilian be murdered by that madman, Valmont.

Captain Black sighed. While he would not and could not let a single INNOCENT civilian be murdered, he could not risk the life of Hak Foo, either. If they shot Hak Foo down, there was a chance that the hitman would die. And if Hak died without serving out a sentence for his crimes, Captain Black wouldn't forgive himself.

"Flyboys… Stand down. I repeat: Stand down. Let Hak Foo go. Our priority is to evac civilians and to deactivate those explosives… I want every one of you in the choppers to be looking for any civilians that might be evacuated to the rooftop for the sake of evacuating everyone. There's hundreds of civilians in there, and it's going to take some time to evacuate through the front, side, and backdoors. So the roof MAY need to be used." Captain Black barked through his walkie talkie. Then he proceeded to give out orders to everyone else. "And as for the rest of you… I want as many of you agents to get in there and evac everyone. Bomb Squad, get down in that basement and try to defuse those bombs. If it appears you can't deactivate them in time, I want you getting out of there immediately. Do I make myself clear? It is Jackie Chan and his aides' priority to deal with Valmont. You are to evac everyone else, including Tohru and his mother! Let's MOVE, people!"

Section 13 finally took action…

- Inside the San Francisco Chinese New Year Ball -

Things were starting to get… exciting. Agents were now flooding the Grand Ballroom and evacing people in seconds. Some people immediately complied, but a majority did not. Every civilian was confused, to say the least. The ones that did not comply immediately accused Section 13 agents of pulling some sort of hoax. But when agents were able to bear proof that they were with the federal government, that was a whole 'nother story. EVERYONE obeyed allowed themselves to be shepherded out, with the exception of Tohru, Tohru's mother, and Valmont, who were at the center of all the tables.

Valmont cursed that only a minute had passed since he had triggered the detonators, and that meant there was still nineteen minutes to go. Oh, Valmont firmly believed he would get out of there in time, but it was looking like everyone else would get out as well. Valmont loathed admitting it, but he had hoped to go down in history as a mass murderer. He was very concerned about how he would be remembered. Yes, he wanted to be remembered as a refined man with good tastes, but he also wanted to be remembered as a feared Crime Lord that struck fear into the hearts of civilians. And what better way to do that than to commit a bombing at one of the largest public gatherings in San Francisco? On Chinese New Years! He'd be remembered as the Crime Lord that didn't take Holidays off, and that was fine with Valmont.

Valmont seethed and clutched the Talismans in his pocket and growled.

"I am very sorry, Tohru… Mrs. Tohru… But I must bid you adieu. I have some very important business to attend to, so if you'll excuse me…"

Valmont was pleased to note the Rabbit Talisman working for him, and that he zoomed off, away from Tohru's table. He reveled in Tohru's shocked face, but would've liked Tohru's mother to show some other emotion other than confusion. Still, no plan could be perfect. In seconds, Valmont had his hands on the Snake and Ox Talismans as well, and he was plowing through a wall without so much as a care in the world. Valmont vowed to return the Talismans to Shendu, and that he WOULD do…

Jackie finally spotted Valmont, but it was only after Valmont used the Rabbit Talisman, and just before he used the Snake and Ox Talismans. Jackie turned to Finn, Ratso, and Chow and said, "He's getting away… How can we possibly catch up to an invisible, strong, fast-moving man…?"

Finn shrugged, but he had a hopeful smile on his face.

"Well… Um… Section 13 should stop him outside… at least for a little bit… So… Let's run?"

Jackie nodded in agreement and ran up to the hole in the wall that Valmont had created. Finn, Ratso, and Chow followed suit, and they all ran through it to the outside. Much to their chagrin, Valmont had turned visible again, and was taking time to gloat at Captain Black.

"Apologies for the mess… But you do SUCH a lovely job of cleaning up, Captain Black…" Valmont snickered. He was a mere three or four feet away from a stunned Captain Black. This WAS his first time at witnessing Talisman magic.

"You… You'll never get away with this, Valmont…" Captain Black finally found his voice.

Valmont raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"And how do you propose to do that…? You have a situation in that building, and people will get hurt if you waste your time with me. Besides, I have Talismans! You cannot possibly hope to stop me!" To demonstrate, Valmont used the Rabbit Talisman to move back and forth and side to side, but ended up in the same place he was standing.

Jackie, Finn, Ratso, and Chow – while Valmont took his time boasting – snuck up behind Valmont. Captain Black smirked and said, "Well, Valmont… I guess you're right. You do win. You're going to be able to do whatever you want with these Talismans… I can't possibly hope to defeat you."

Valmont raised an eyebrow and scoffed.

"Is that sarcasm I detect, my good Captain…? I will have you know that whoever is possibly behind will not-"

Valmont was cut off as Jackie, Finn, Ratso, and Chow tackled him to the ground. Valmont let go of the Talismans and cried out, "NO!"

Jackie threw the Ox Talisman to Captain Black; Chow tossed the Snake Talisman to Jade; and Ratso threw the Rabbit Talisman to Uncle. Valmont seethed as he was held down by the archaeologist and his comrades.

Captain Black just kept on smirking as he flipped the Ox Talisman into the air.

"Now… What was that you were saying about winning…?"

Just as Captain Black said that, Shadowkhan swarmed the area. Jackie and his aides soon found themselves thrown off of Valmont as four Shadowkhan manhandled Valmont and dragged him into the shadows. Valmont winced at the grip each Shadowkhan had on him, and all he could say was, "Blast!"

And while everyone was wide-eyed that the black ninjas had suddenly appeared, three Shadowkhan appeared in front of Jade, Uncle, and Captain Black and snatched the three Talismans they had. Jade held onto the Snake Talisman with all her might, but the Shadowkhan still managed to pry it from her hands. Captain Black was the least resistant because he was so spooked and surprised at the Shadowkhans' sudden appearance. Uncle continuously wacked the Shadowkhan that was trying to forcibly remove the Rabbit Talisman from his grasp, but to no avail. Uncle became white as a sheet as soon as the Shadowkhan sank back into the shadows with the remaining three Talismans.

"Shendu… is now… complete…" Uncle whispered in horror. He collapsed out of shock, and everyone – Captain Black, Jade, Jackie, and the aides – was at his side.

After twenty minutes had elapsed since the explosives were triggered, the building collapsed on itself. No one was killed when the explosives went off, but some people had a closer call than others in getting out of the restaurant in time. When Jackie witnessed the destruction of one of San Francisco's finest Chinese eateries, all he could say was, "Bad day…"

- At the New Dark Hand Headquarters –

Valmont still winced as the Shadowkhan held him and searched him for the twelfth and final Talisman to be put in its place on Shendu: The Rat. Before the Shadowkhan located it, Valmont apologized.

"Shendu… I am SO sorry for nearly ruining your resurrection… Really. But things were going so well…!"

Shendu hissed.

"You need not worry, Valmont… I have grown used to your constant FAILURES… This is why my Shadowkhan were sent. Your services… are no longer required." Shendu said as the Shadowkhan held up the Rat Talisman for Valmont and Shendu to see. The Shadowkhan firmly put the Talisman in its place, and Shendu's eyes glowed a very bright red as he began to move. In mere moments, Shendu was standing, towering over Valmont. Shendu threw his arms into the air and cried, "I LIIIVE!"

**To Be Continued…**

** And so Shendu lives… In case anyone's curious, yes, I shifted the year of JCA to this year. There's no real hidden reason why we did this, so don't look into it too much. Also, I do not know if there is a real Chinese eatery like this in San Francisco, but do keep in mind that this is fiction. Also, apologies if it was ever insinuated that the time of year was close to Christmas last Chapter. I had forgotten that Chinese New Year fell on a different date, and I tried to rectify that mistake this Chapter. Anyway, time for Mailbag!**

** D.J. Scales – I hope that this Chapter lives up to your expectations, seeing as the last one was very good.**

** Alana Fox – Thanks for pointing out what you liked last Chapter! It was a pleasure to entertain you, and it still is! Also, thanks for pointing out that fact. I knew it, but didn't think to replace 'pointer finger' with 'index finger' to vary the wording. Ah, well. Hope this Chapter's to your liking.**

** Eduard Kassel – Nice to hear some concrit. We didn't consider some of the things you pointed out, such as, "the Far East as he," or the flowers from Valmont. However, I hope that this chapter makes up for the latter, at least. I do like the image of a demonic albatross, don't you? As for the Dragon Talisman... I am not sure. I don't think it was ever stated, and I'd have to go back and look at 'Bullies' again, but it's possible for the user to have higher durability.**


	12. A Losing Battle

"There's no way we'll be able to disarm these things in time! Let's get out of here!" A Section Thirteen agent cried. The bombs were three minutes away from going off, and only a few of the timers had been successfully stopped. Once the other bombs went off, they'd forcibly detonate the ones that were stopped.

While the bomb squad had no luck in disarming all the bombs in the basement of the complex, the evac above them was successful. Agents had found the guards locked in a supply closet, and had gotten them outside five minutes before the bombs went off. The bomb squad was the last out, and the bombs just began to go off as they exited the restaurant. Before them, Section 13 agents had people in – very reluctant – single file lines at the front, side, back, and roof exits. Those evacuated to the roof were taken by helicopter to a safe distance away from the restaurant, and everyone else was kept moving on the ground until they were safe as well. Once outside, people did not have to be in single file lines, and were advised to run to keep the lines moving. Those who could not run very well were evacuated to the roof for the most part, and that included Tohru. Tohru's mother, though she could run very well, would not leave her Baby Boy's side.

The building crumbled as the last of the bomb squad exited the restaurant, but no one got seriously injured. All civilians were unharmed, and Section 13 agents, particularly those apart of the bomb squad, only sustained minor injuries.

A ways away from the restaurant, the Ice Crew were fleeing. They had escaped Section 13 personnel, and were running further and further into a nearby park. After a time, they looked up at the sound of a chopper, and were pleased to see Hak Foo piloting it. Hak Foo set the chopper on autopilot for a few moments so he could drop down a ladder for the Ice Crew to climb, and then went back to piloting the aircraft. Ice, MC Cobra, and DJ Fist ascended the ladder with great speed and pulled the ladder back in quickly, in case there were any nearby Section 13 agents. Then Hak Foo set a course for their new base of operations, the factory. He did not realize they were being tailed by a single Section 13 chopper, and neither did the Enforcers.

The Enforcers and Hak Foo began to land behind the factory, and the Section 13 chopper turned around and flew back to the restaurant. The pilot and personnel inside knew full well they were disobeying a direct command from Captain Black, but they felt they would need the Dark Hand's location, once the situation at the restaurant was dealt with.

As they began to approach the location of the restaurant, a radio transmission from Captain Black came in.

"Chopper Five, do you copy? Where did you go? You were supposed to assist in evacs on the roof!"

The pilot replied, "We felt you had the situation under control, so we followed the bogey helicopter to the abandoned car factory in the Manufacturing District. We believe that is their base of operations!"

On the ground, Captain Black said, "Valmont," almost like the word was the name of a disease. He put his radio back to his ear, and answered, "It's good news for you that everyone evacuated the building safely before it imploded, because you disobeyed my command. Stay in the air, and wait for further instructions."

The pilot replied, "Affirmative," then cut the radio off.

Black turned to Chan and his family, and said, "We've located the Dark Hand's hideout. Maybe if we get there in time, we can get the Talismans back."

Chan replied, "I hope." before everyone boarded a helicopter to go to the new hideout.

- At the New Dark Hand headquarters -

Valmont was finally released from the Shadowkhan as Shendu finished changing from stone to flesh and blood. He towered over the Englishman, and clenched his fist.

"After nine hundred years, I have been restored to full power! Speed! Invincibility! Levitation! All of my abilities have returned to me! Now the time to make the descendants of Lo Pei pay for the betrayal of their ancestors has come!"

Valmont straightened himself and put on a happy face as the Enforcers entered the area.

Upon seeing what Shendu had become, Hak Foo said, "Stone Dragon becomes Real Dragon."

Ice was bug-eyed at seeing the demon dragon in his true form. He went, "Whoa. Uh, welcome back to da land of the living, Shendu?"

Valmont cleared his throat, then said, "Well, this factory is STILL in need of a lot of work, but the Lost Treasure of Qin Shi Huang should take care of remodeling it into a perfect base for my operations in the future."

Shendu narrowed his eyes at Valmont, then said, "Regrettably, Valmont, you did not provide me with the last set of Talismans. In fact, you were about to lose them. I had to send my own Shadowkhan out to prevent that from happening."

Valmont's face changed to a "sorry" look. He went, "B… But the other six we got-" Shendu thrust his face and stared him in the eye as he said, "Your bravado at the restaurant confirmed your incompetence. Listen well. NO TREASURE FOR YOU!"

Valmont backed away as he was told off. He backed away, and smiled.

-Outside the new Dark Hand headquarters-

The Section 13 chopper that had Chan, Uncle, and the Aides landed quietly outside the factory. Captain Black had to stay behind to swiftly deal with any loose ends at the restaurant, and Jackie had Jade stay with Captain Black because the level of danger at the factory would be intense. Tohru and his mother, by orders of Captain Black, were taken to Uncle's Shop to wait out the rest of the incident. Tohru's mother was too stubborn with staying with Tohru, and Captain Black did not want to endanger her.

Before Jackie, Uncle, and the aides left for the factory, Jade grabbed Jackie's khakis and said, "I want to go, too! PLEEEAAASSSEEE take me, Uncle Jackie!"

To emphasize that he was serious, Jackie kneeled down, and told her, "No, Jade. It is way too dangerous. And I truly mean it this time. You will remain here with Captain Black. I promise you we will be back to celebrate Chinese New Year's, and we can throw a party for Tohru and his mother!"

Jade did a "humph" sound; she did not like this one bit. Satisfied that Jade showed no intention of tagging along again, Jackie, Uncle, and the aides were on their way to the factory.

Upon reaching the factory, Jackie led everyone to the entrance of the factory, and then held his hand out in a halting motion.

"Okay, I will go ahead and scout the place out. Everyone will remain here."

Uncle wanted to object very badly, but he bit back a reply. The aides were uneasy about the whole situation, too, but they did not object, either. With no one to stop him, Jackie walked in.

After quietly sneaking around, he heard Valmont's voice, along with Shendu's, which sounded deeper than it did in the old Dark Hand headquarters.

Jackie followed the voices into another room, but stayed behind the doorframe as he looked in.

His face turned to horror at what he saw. Shendu was no longer an ornament on the wall. He was a giant green dragon, with claws, sharp teeth, red eyes, and a violet and dark pink loincloth. If this was the being that intended to destroy all of Asia, then he had a good reason to be horrified. Why Valmont and his goons were still alive was beyond him.

His eyes widened as he felt that shiver, the "willies," it was called, run through him. After it passed, he quietly snuck over to a tall stack of crates inside the room.

Valmont looked at Shendu with his sorry face for a few more seconds, then his face turned to one of determination. He had sacrificed a lot to get to this point. He was NOT going to live with having gone through all that Shendu put him through only to walk away with nothing.

He turned to Hak Foo, and said, "Hak Foo. Make this freak of nature give up his gold."

Hak Foo's face whitened as Valmont ordered him to face Shendu. The other Enforcers backed away, not wanting any part of this.

Hak Foo's face quickly turned serious. If they didn't get the Treasure, he was not going to get paid for his services. He replied, "With pleasure." Hak Foo cracked his knuckles one by one and popped his neck.

He walked toward Shendu, and then said, "Black Tiger slays Demon Dragon."

Shendu narrowed his eyes again, this time at Hak Foo.

Jackie began silently walking to the other side of the crate pile, but as he was doing so, a blunt pain and the sound of metal clanging had him look down. He had stubbed his foot on a piece of metal sticking up out of the floor.

Jackie grabbed his foot in pain, and did his best not to yell, "Ow!" but it didn't matter.

Shendu heard the metal sound, and looked away from Hak Foo and towards the stack of crates that Chan was hiding behind.

"Sounds like we have a guest," Shendu sneered, caring not if the uninvited guest heard him or not. He held out his hand toward the crates.

As Chan recoiled from smacking his foot, the crates that he was hiding behind were lifted up and thrown away, causing the shadow they were casting to vanish.

His face transitioned from one of pain to one of horror as he realized he had blown his own cover. He then yelped as he was lifted off of the floor, turned around, and quickly flown over to stare at Shendu in the face.

Jackie smiled, then went, "Uh, heh, heh, hello."

Uncle had decided he had given Jackie long enough to scout, and had begun to march into the factory to find Jackie. The aides were right behind him, and Finn was the first to try and slow him down.

"Y-Yo, Unc… I think Jackie just needs a little more time… y'know? C'mon, he's barely had five minutes…" Finn reasoned.

Uncle did not cease his march.

"Jackie has had his chance to 'scout'… Uncle will not let Jackie get hurt. Uncle is sure you feel same, yes…?" Uncle questioned as he turned his head to look at Finn. Finn shrank a little from the piercing stare.

"W-Well… Y-Yeah, I mean, we came along, but…" Finn didn't get to finish his argument, but Chow cut in.

"What Finn's tryin' to say, Unc… is that we don't want you getting hurt either, and neither does Mr. Chan." Chow remarked. Ratso nodded.

"Yeah… I don't think Mr. Chan would ever forgive us if you got hurt by this Shendu fella, and we were there to prevent that, but didn't…" Ratso trailed off.

Uncle raised his arms into the air exasperatedly and declared, "Jackie does not have means of defeating the Demon! Uncle SAID it would be bad idea to come here without preparation, but Jackie is stubborn. Uncle says we have preparation time and must not waste time with confrontation, but Jackie says we must go confront Demon! Aiyah!" Uncle groaned. Finn, Ratso, and Chow shook their heads, but continued to walk with Uncle.

Just as they reached the doorframe where Shendu, the Dark Hand, and Jackie were visible, Uncle cried out quite loudly, "AIIIYYYAAAHHHH!" as his hair stood on end and he struck a fearful pose. Finn, Ratso, and Chow moved to clamp Uncle's mouth shut, hoping that no one heard Uncle scream. They were fortunate, because Shendu seemed to be so focused on Jackie.

"Uncle must help Jackie. Demon has him! Demon wants to kill Jackie, then he gets a piece of Uncle!" Uncle declared after batting the aides' arms away.

Finn replied, "No! You'll get hurt, too!" They had to use every last fiber in their beings to keep Uncle rooted on the spot. He can be tough when he needs to be, and stubborn as well.

Shendu looked at Chan with anger and said, "You would dare to intrude on me, Chan?"

Jackie narrowed his eyes. He had a determined look about him now.

"I will not let you carry through with your plot, Shendu… Not a single Asian will be harmed for your sick and twisted pleasure!"

Shendu roared with laughter at Chan's bravado. Valmont and his incompetence was all but forgotten now.

"Please, Chan… If you could stop me, wouldn't you have done so already…? I admire your courage to constantly get in my way, not to mention the skills required to do that… And somehow there is something eerily familiar about you… But you…

Shendu stopped mid-speech, and immediately had a hunch of who Jackie reminded him of. Taking a deep whiff, which really disturbed Jackie to say the least, Shendu narrowed his bright red eyes even further at Jackie Chan.

"YOU… You have the scent of someone I hate even more than Lo Pei… You have HIS scent…" Shendu snarled and suddenly his eyes and mouth started to glow, meaning that the Pig and Dragon Talismans were about to activate. "And to think, I was about to give you a quick and painless death… But clearly, YOU need a much more painful one… One that will give me very great pleasure, indeed."

Jackie lost his determined look when Shendu sniffed him. That determined look had been replaced by a very disturbed one. But now that very disturbed look was replaced with a frightened one.

"W-What are you talking about, Shendu?"

Valmont was furious that Shendu was ignoring him now. But at the same time, he was not too jealous of Chan's position. He and Hak Foo were as lost as Jackie was about Shendu's newfound fury, but both failed to notice that the Enforcers had slipped away. Well, Hak Foo did. Ice had whispered something in Hak Foo's ear before slipping away. Apparently, the tension in the factory was just too thick.

Shendu's eyes and mouth ceased glowing for a moment as an idea dawned on him. He roughly dropped Chan to the factory floor and noticed that Valmont and Hak Foo were still in the building. Valmont's boys were no doubt retreating, but Shendu could have cared less. After all, the really irritating ones were Valmont and Hak Foo. The Ice Crew never interacted with him all that much, so Shendu's opinion of them was more neutral.

Shendu broke out into roars of laughter.

"Yes… A most gruesome death… For ALL of you!

Valmont and Hak Foo recoiled at Shendu's threat, and Jackie tensed up as he was beginning to stand up again. The aides heard this, and doubled their efforts to reel Uncle back, since Uncle halted his progress into the room at Shendu's exclamation, which could now be heard. Luckily for the aides – not to mention Uncle – Shendu did not seem to notice them. Without hesitation, Shendu levitated off the ground, and his eyes, hands, and mouth began to glow bright yellow and red.

"'To kill two birds with one stone'… isn't that how you humans put it? Well… This will certainly do it!"

And with that, Shendu breathed fire and blasted with heat beam eyes in all directions but at his quarry. Aiming for Valmont, Hak Foo, and Chan would be no fun. No, Shendu intended to blow the factory to smithereens rather than have the pests escape by chance.

As soon as Shendu began to tear the factory down, Hak Foo yelped, "Bunny with Carrot flees from Vicious Jackal!" and slung Valmont over his shoulder.

Valmont cried, "WHAT? I am not a carrot, you fool!" But he let the red-haired hitman carry him away all the same. Hak Foo could run much faster than him, and he would barely have to do a thing to get out of the factory. Jackie, on the other hand…

Jackie's eyes widened at Shendu's destructive power. It would take no more than a few minutes to dismantle the factory from top to bottom with the Talismans being used so destructively. Jackie was back on his feet in an instant and running for his life after a few random, yet purposeful shots nearly singed him. With all the blasts and fire flying around, Jackie didn't want to risk running straight for the exit, like Hak Foo had done. Hak Foo had made a beeline for the back exit of the factory, and he had gotten barraged with heat beam eye blasts in the back three times. All caused Hak Foo to stumble and yelp in pain, but none knocked the eccentric hitman over, surprisingly. Valmont cringed at nearly getting hit all three times, but it was Hak Foo who took the brunt of the assault. As much as Jackie wanted to get out of there and fast, he did not want to get burnt while doing it. Due to his desire to get out of the factory as quickly as possible, Jackie failed to notice the aides and Uncle in the doorframe he was making his way to. Finn, Ratso, and Chow were yanking with all their might, but Uncle wasn't budging. Uncle's gaze was fixated on Jackie, and he was not about to let his nephew become toast. Yet the aides finally did get Uncle to budge, and were now hauling him to the front exit, which was still an arduous task because Uncle would not go easily.

Jackie hopped atop crates and dodged fireballs flying in his direction. Random crates were set ablaze, and Jackie couldn't help but cry in surprise as he hopped on a few crates that recently started to burn.

"Hot, hot, hot!" Jackie cried. Then Jackie hopped onto a dusty old conveyor belt that had yet to be burned and ran the length of it. After that, and dodging several fireballs while crying, "Bad day, bad day, BAD DAAAY!" Jackie swung on a rusty chain dangling at the end of the conveyor belt and landed close to the doorframe he had been aiming for. It wasn't a graceful landing, as the chain had snapped mid-swing, but Jackie could've cared less about a small fall. Jackie dusted himself off and ran the small distance between him and the doorframe. Once he crossed the threshold and moved to the side a little so he wasn't in the open doorframe's path, Jackie deemed it was safe enough to make a beeline for the front entrance. It was around this time that he finally spotted Uncle, who was being dragged to the exit by his aides.

The aides noticed Mr. Chan had made it, but went wide-eyed all the same. The walls separating the rooms of the factory were starting to burn, and bright orange flames were very evident. Jackie paused momentarily to gaze at the flaming walls in awe. However, that pause cost him, as the walls, instead of JUST burning, exploded outward. Large pieces of steel and concrete flew at the Chans, and they had to quickly double their efforts to put as much distance between themselves and the destruction as possible. The aides made it out no trouble, as they were exhausted of yanking Uncle. Uncle motioned for Jackie to hurry, because there were still several feet between him and his nephew.

"Hurry, Jackie!" Uncle cried. Jackie sprinted as fast as he could, but the fire was spreading fast on the ceiling. Uncle's eyes widened as he spied a large piece of debris breaking free from the ceiling and descending on Jackie. Uncle tried to meet Jackie half way and yank his nephew out of the way, but Jackie shoved Uncle away with immense force. The force was immense enough that it knocked Uncle back into Ratso's strong arms. Ratso had returned, with renewed vigor, to save Uncle, and Chow and Finn soon joined them.

The large piece of debris had fallen down. Hard. Jackie had managed to dodge most of it, yet the debris had caught Jackie from his knees down. Fortunately, Jackie's legs were not being cooked alive, but the weight was enough for Jackie to cry out in pain. Finn and Chow were at Jackie's side instantly, and were doing their best to get him out. Ratso took advantage of Uncle's shock and finally managed to pull Uncle out of the quickly degrading factory. Uncle was a lightweight when he wasn't trying to stay rooted in place, Ratso noted.

With the factory coming down on them hard and fast, Jackie shooed Finn and Chow.

"Go! I will be fine! JUST GO!" Jackie yelled and shoved Finn and Chow away as forcefully as possible. Finn and Chow both didn't want to abandon Jackie… but at the same time, Jackie would not forgive them if they sacrificed their own lives for him, if he did manage to survive all this destruction. Both aides fled the vast room wordlessly, and within thirty seconds, the whole factory came crashing down. Flames were EVERYWHERE.

Uncle and the aides had been knocked down by the force of the building coming down on itself, and were not seen by Shendu, because the piles of rubble separating them were too large and tall. Believing he had finally outdone himself and eliminated his nemesis, Jackie Chan, Shendu roared in triumph.

"With Jackie Chan now gone, I shall return to the southern coast of China, where I shall resurrect my palace and reap my vengeance on the descendants of the FOOLS that dared to usurp my rule! Prepare to roll over in your grave, Lo Pei… because your efforts to restrain me were FUTILE!" Shendu roared once more and took to the sky with the Rooster and Rabbit Talismans. In a flash, Shendu was gone. And he didn't even bother to check his handiwork.

Captain Black and most of Section 13 showed up at the factory around the time Shendu took off, and Black was bewildered at the green blur that took to the sky. Turning to Jade, Captain Black said, "Jade… Please explain," and gulped.

Jade struck a thoughtful pose.

"Well… That thing used the Rooster Talisman to levitate, and added the Rabbit Talisman so that it could fly." Jade smiled and stopped the explanation right there, as it seemed simple enough.

Captain Black looked at Jade skeptically and waved his arms.

"WHAT? What could do that so it could fly?" Captain Black exclaimed.

Jade shrugged as her hair blew in the slight breeze.

"I dunno… Uncle Jackie said that it had been just a statue… And Unc said it was a Demon Dragon."

Captain Black blinked and shook his head in disbelief. Bomb threats from one of the biggest crime syndicates – or at least formerly one of the biggest – which actually went through and happened he could take. But Demon Dragons? Captain Black thought he could barely wrap his head around magical Talismans!

It didn't take very long for Black to clear his mind of the preposterous idea, because he spotted Uncle, Finn, Ratso, and Chow very close to the rubble. They were unharmed by the looks of things, and that was enough of a consolation prize for Captain Black. Striding over to find out what happened, Black called out to Uncle.

"Unc! What happened here?"

Uncle shook his head to clear away the shock of all that had happened in just mere seconds. He turned to Captain Black and said concernedly, "M… Must find Jackie… Save Jackie…"

Captain Black blinked and looked around. For some reason, he had forgotten about Jackie. Jackie was unaccounted for, by the looks of things. Finally making it over to Uncle, Captain Black kneeled down and looked Uncle in the eye.

"Unc… I need you to tell me what happened. I'll get my men on finding Jackie. Just tell me where he is, and get on to telling me about what happened here."

Uncle narrowed his eyes and smacked Captain Black upside the forehead with a two finger strike.

"Listen to Uncle! Jackie is buried under RUBBLE! Finding Jackie is priority! Not debriefiiing!"

Captain Black's eyes widened after he rubbed his head from Uncle's hit.

"You mean he's UNDER all this…?" Captain Black shot up from his kneeling position and whipped around to his personnel. "Alright, men! We have a search and rescue mission! Jackie Chan is buried underneath the rubble here, so our main priority is to find him and get him out! If he's still alive, I want him inspected for major injuries! Let's just hope he isn't…"

Captain Black trailed off. Luckily, his agents were very obedient to him and wasted no time in starting to dig through the rubble.

After about ten minutes of digging, Section 13 agents located Jackie, and were relieved to find that he was very much alive, and that he did not sustain any injuries that were too serious. While Jackie was reunited with Uncle, Finn, Ratso, and Chow, an agent saluted Captain Black after approaching him.

"Sir, I'm sorry to report that there has been no sign of the Dark Hand… It may be possible that they were burned alive, but so far we haven't found any remains whatsoever. Should we get forensics to inspect the piles of ashes, just to make sure…?" The suited-up agent questioned.

Captain Black frowned and nodded.

"Yes… I want to know for sure that they're dead or alive. If they're alive, we'll have to wait until they make a move again. Suffice to say, we have nothing to go on, if they are alive and they escaped the destruction of their base of operations."

Black paused and scratched his ear.

"… Did anyone see an aircraft leaving the premises by any chance…?"

The agent shook his head and crossed his arms.

"No, sir… At the very least, there was no aircraft seen flying away in front of the factory... Copter Five reported that they had landed behind the factory, but we have not seen that aircraft yet…"

Captain Black's eyes widened.

"Then that means they're alive!" Captain Black pinched the bridge of his nose. "Are you sure there haven't been any sightings of helicopter debris…?"

The agent shook his head slowly.

"I'm sorry, sir… Unless the helicopter was disintegrated, which is a distinct possibility… the Dark Hand has escaped, like you proposed, sir."

Captain Black grumbled at the fact that the Dark Hand slipped away yet again. He dismissed the agent and went about checking on the Chans.

"Ow!" Jackie cried at being hit by a two-fingered strike.

Captain Black smiled slightly at the exclamation, and listened as Uncle lectured his nephew.

"JAAACKIIIEEE! You could have been killed! Do not do that ever aaagaaaiiin!"

Jackie rubbed his head and smiled a little.

"U-Uncle… I was only protecting you! You are the only one who can make up a Spell that will defeat Shendu! Without you…"

Uncle frowned and much of his apparent anger faded away.

"That is true…" Uncle stroked his chin, but then ceased appearing thoughtful almost immediately. "But you are still reckless! Be more careful! Ha-Cha!"

Jackie groaned, and Captain Black stepped into the conversation.

"So, Jackie… What's our next move? Got any ideas?"

Jackie turned to Captain Black, and so did everyone else – Uncle, the aides, and Jade. Jackie rubbed his chin and contemplated the inquiry.

"Well… with Chinese New Year's in under twenty four hours, Shendu will most likely be speeding to China, to exact his revenge… We are at a slight disadvantage, because he got a head start…"

Jackie paused and turned to Uncle.

"Uncle… How long will it take to find a way to defeat Shendu…?" Jackie asked.

Uncle snorted and crossed his arms.

"Hmph. Should not take long at all. Uncle has many Spell books, passed down by Master Fong. We will need an Extraction Potion to retrieve the Talismans from within Shendu…"

Captain Black nodded in understanding. He still thought it was tough to wrap his head around all this, but if this threat was genuine, then things could get bad fast if they didn't act soon.

"Alright… Uncle, I'm going drop you off at the Shop to gather your books… We'll pick you up after we've packed up and loaded all our stuff at Section 13. After that, we'll take Section 13's fastest transport and make our way to… Where in China will we be headed…?"

Uncle stayed rooted in place, and said, "Hong Kong. Shendu's Palace will be located close to there, along the Southern Coast of China…"

After Uncle had said this, Section 13 mobilized once again…

- At Uncle's Shop -

It didn't take long for Section 13 to return to base. Captain Black ordered everyone, including the Chans, bar Uncle, to return there while he took a van and dropped Uncle off there. It took twenty minutes to get Uncle back to the Shop from the newly created ruins, and Black would be able to reach Section 13 in five minutes from there.

"Give Uncle one hour. Uncle will gather research." Uncle said brusquely and was about to enter the Shop.

Before Uncle could enter, however, Captain Black duly warned him.

"Just so you know… Tohru's in there already, and he's with his mother. Maybe they can watch the Shop for you while you're gone?" Captain Black paused, but Uncle didn't answer. "See you in an hour!"

Captain Black rolled up the passenger window and drove back to Section 13.

Uncle walked into his Shop, and…

"AAAIIIIIYYYYYAAAAAHHHHH!" Uncle shrieked.

Tohru's mother was in the front of the Shop and precariously holding a very expensive-looking vase. Uncle's exclamation caused her to drop the vase, and for her to stare with boredom at Uncle. The vase lay shattered on the floor, and Uncle appeared very furious at this. Yet he was not the first to speak.

"Humph. So you are Tohru's new boss…?" Tohru's mother snorted and didn't bother to help clean up the mess at her feet. "Could've done much better! Tohru was right in abandoning criminal way of life, but he could've have found a job much better than this! Tohru did not want to tell me where he lived now… And I see it was for good reason! Tohru now work for Billy Goat and live in Junk Shop!"

Uncle shot Tohru's mother a glare and pointed at her.

"This is NOT Junk Shop! Uncle sell Antiques here! Uncle make fair profit! And you will be sooorry for breaking vase that belonged to ancient dynastyyy!"

Tohru's mother snorted again and placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh, Billy Goat… You are funny when you try not to be! This is clearly Junk Shop, and you can't make me pay for this!" Tohru's mother gestured at the shattered vase. "You're the one who broke it with all your yelling!"

Uncle growled and made his trademark motion that said, "Bring it on!"

"You want a piece of Uncle, Dragon Lady…?"

Tohru's mother laughed and stuck her nose in the air.

"Billy Goat, you couldn't take me with my hands tied behind my back!"

Uncle snorted and didn't drop his fighting stance.

"Uncle will walk circles around you, Dragon Lady! Prepare to be knocked off feet!"

Tohru's mother snorted and gave Uncle her trademark Evil Eye.

"That's it! You had your chance, Billy Goat!" Tohru's mother ran at Uncle and prepared a leap kick.

Uncle caught the kick and repelled it. Tohru's mother anticipated this and turned in the air and attacked with both legs. Uncle blocked all the kicks with his arms, but he was caught off guard by Tohru's mother's energy.

Tohru heard the scuffle and came down the stairs as quickly as possible.

"M-Mommy! Uncle! Please, don't fight!" Tohru grabbed his mother and held her in a hug. This only seemed to make Uncle smug.

"Yes, Tohru… Hold Dragon Woman so Uncle can give her piece of Uncle!"

Tohru's mother shot Uncle another trademark Evil Eye, but it still seemed to have no effect. Tohru's words, however, did.

"Uncle… Please… This is not the time for fighting… Where are Jackie and the others?" Tohru asked, clearly fatigued.

Uncle stopped his plan to assault Tohru's mother and sighed wearily.

"Shendu was released from stone… Now Uncle must do research on trip to Hong Kong. Tohru… Dragon Lady…" Uncle and Tohru's mother both glared at one another. "Uncle will need your assistance in gathering books. Uncle would not allow Dragon Lady to touch books under normal circumstances, because of way she touched vase…

Uncle paused and motioned to the broken vase. Tohru's mother was about to correct Uncle again, but Uncle continued.

"… But circumstances are not normal. Uncle will need help in gathering all books related to Extraction and Sealing Spells. Uncle will show you what to look for, and where to start making piles… We have less than one hour now to gather all materials. Let us get crackiiing!"

Tohru nodded solemnly and he released his mother, who was agitated at having to cease fighting the Billy Goat. Sighing, she said, "Very well… I do not know what is going on, but if matter is serious enough, I will help the Billy Goat…"

And with that, Uncle showed them to his collection…

- At Section 13 -

It did not take long at all for Jackie to pack all the necessities for the trip, and the aides were ready for him and waiting out in the hallway when he exited his and Jade's room in Section 13. Before he left, he had a very serious talk with Jade about staying there at Section 13 to remain safe. She displayed her usual fits about not being allowed to come, but Jackie had taken a harsher tone than usual with her. "If you do not remain here, Jade… I will have to seriously consider sending you back to Hong Kong early, if we save the world," had been his words. Jade meant well, and Jackie appreciated her loyalty to her family and country, but Jackie did not like the thought of explaining to Jade's parents that she was in a life-death situation, more than once as a matter of fact, and that it had been because he had not been firm with having her stay behind during those times. Jackie admitted that it was a semi-hollow threat, but he had to get his point across that this was a very dangerous mission. And Jade liked nothing better than spending time with her Uncles in the States, so the threat should have done the trick. In response to the threat, Jade had hung her head and did not say a word.

Upon exiting the room, Jackie heaved a sigh. That was the hardest discussion he had had with Jade. Ever.

"Well… I believe she understands now…" Looking at the backpacks slung over the aides' shoulders, Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you have enough for the trip to Hong Kong and back…?"

Finn nodded and put his left hand in his pocket while his right hand grasped one handle of his backpack.

"Yeah… It's been half an hour at least since we got back. Your little talk with Jade was real time-consuming… Ratso here was thinking of intervening, 'cause he was worried about you breaking the poor kid's heart."

Ratso grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. Jackie blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his own head.

"Ehe… Sorry about that. So, when do we leave again…"

Chow looked down at his watch and said, "We've still got a little over half an hour. CB has to pick Uncle and Tohru up, and we're giving Unc some time to gather all the research material he needs. Then, we'll be on our way…"

Jackie nodded and they moved as a group to stow their luggage away in the jet they were taking. They failed to notice Jade opening the door and making her way over to a ventilation shaft. Forty minutes later, they were in the air – Jackie, Uncle, Tohru, his mother – who objected to being separated from her Baby Boy – Finn, Ratso, Chow, Captain Black and a handful of Section 13 personnel, and Jade, who stowed away with the luggage…

- High Above the Pacific Ocean -

The plane ride to Hong Kong was full of tension and nerves. How were they going to defeat a wrathful demon dragon that wanted to torch the entire continent of Asia like a dying bamboo forest?

Jackie and Black were sitting in seats, wondering what they were going to do. If Uncle couldn't come up with something to defeat Shendu, lots of people were going to lose their lives or be enslaved. It was hard to think which way would be better, so hopefully that would not be the case.

Tohru's mother, meanwhile, was slamming her fist on the lavatory door. Uncle was inside, working.

"Go away, Dragon Lady!"

The woman replied, "You have been in the lavatory since takeoff!"

Uncle opened the door, and yelled, "That is right, Dragon Lady! Laboratory! I am working on Spell to defeat dragon! You want Asia to burn? No? Then go away!"

He tried to slam the door back, but Tohru's mother caught the door forcefully with an open palm. She had a glint in her eye, too.

"It's a lavatory, not laboratory, Billy Goat! You are in the bathroom, and I need to use it!"

With that, she grabbed Uncle, and pulled him out of the lavatory.

As she entered the lavatory, she commented, "This stinks worse than the bathrooms in Tokyo airport! Why cook in bathroom?" She slammed the door.  
Uncle steamed.

"That is the Potion I am creating to defeat Shendu! You touch anything in there, and you will mess it up! DO NOT TOUCH!"

"Don't tell me what to do, Billy Goat!"

Needless to say, Tohru's mother 'touched'.

After the commotion made by Uncle and Tohru's mother died down, Finn crossed his right leg over his left and turned to Jackie, who was across from him.

"So, Mr. Chan… Think you're ready to take down this Shendude?"

Jackie smiled a little at Finn's choice for Shendu's nickname, but shook his head.

"I… do not know… We can only hope that Uncle completes that Talisman Retrieval Potion. If he doesn't, Shendu will…" Jackie trailed off. A lot would happen. A lot of bad things would happen.

Finn nodded and frowned.

"It does all come down to Unc… Hmm…"

Tohru, who sat a couple seats in front of Jackie and faced towards him, spoke up.

"I… I do wish to apologize for what happened, Mr. Chan… If I had known a greater tragedy would befall us if Shendu was complete, I…"

Jackie put up a hand and sighed.

"It is alright, Tohru… You were burdened with saving your mother. I may have very well done the same thing in your place. Besides, like you said, the lives of hundreds were at stake. You couldn't turn your back on all those people, and neither could I. My only regret is that we couldn't stop Shendu's resurrection… We were very close."

After Jackie had said this, silence ensued for what seemed like ages… Chow and Ratso, seated by Finn and Jackie respectively, attempted to lighten the mood, but could not find suitable lighthearted words to do so…

- With the Dark Hand -

Valmont sighed for the umpteenth time as the Dark Hand, like the Chans, flew over the Pacific Ocean. It was a stroke of luck for the Dark Hand that they had gotten away from the factory in time… AND Section 13… No doubt Section 13 had arrived at the factory after it had been reduced to rubble. The only question that lingered in Valmont's mind was, "Did Jackie Chan survive?"

The crime lord had mixed feelings about Jackie Chan. On the one hand, Chan had gotten in his way so many times that it would've been nice if he had died a gruesome death in that factory. On the other hand, who would stall Shendu for the Dark Hand while they went about pilfering the Lost Treasure of Qin Shi Huang, if Chan had met his doom in that factory?

Valmont sincerely hoped that Jackie Chan had survived the destruction so he could make his way to Hong Kong and tango with Shendu, because Valmont didn't think that Hak Foo would be able to slay the dragon, since this dragon possessed twelve powerful Talismans. Back at the factory, Valmont had hoped to use Hak Foo as a distraction to escape. Because if he himself had gotten away from Shendu, then he had a chance to swindle Shendu of his precious Treasure. It was very selfish of him, but at the time, Valmont didn't see many other options. Valmont had been relieved that Chan had taken the heat from Shendu instead, and now he and his men were on their way to the biggest payday of all time.

Valmont rubbed his chin as he recalled how he knew about Shendu's Palace. It was very fortunate for Valmont that that salesman… Teku, was it…? Valmont was fortunate that he had been so talkative…

_"What is this…?" Valmont inquired, as he pointed to the stone statue of Shendu._

_ The old man raised his eyebrows and he smiled. _

_ "Ah… This piece is a real treasure. Recovered from the Southern coast of China, outside the city of Hong Kong… The piece's name… is Shendu."_

_ The man went on to give a big speech that explained just about everything about Shendu. It was a bore for Valmont at the time, as he did not believe in Magic or dragons… but the piece was interesting enough and appeared rare enough to add to his collection…_

Valmont smiled at the memory. He had ripped off the man soon after the man had given that huge speech, and he was glad to do it, too. And now because the man had been so forthcoming about Shendu, Valmont was on his way to claim what was perhaps the largest treasure in the world. Valmont had no regrets whatsoever. No regrets about ripping Teku off, no regrets about nearly killing hundreds of people, and certainly no regrets about threatening the lives of everyone in Asia. It was all about the treasure for Valmont.

- With the Chans -

After what seemed like an eternity in the air, the Section 13 plane landed in Hong Kong. Jackie and the others all disembarked and followed Uncle as he led them through the forest outside the city. After a short trek, they emerged onto a hill overlooking a large clearing.

Uncle raised his arms over the clearing, and proclaimed, "The palace!"

Tohru's mother raised an eyebrow. She questioned, "What palace, Billy Goat? I see nothing except grass down there."

Uncle snarled. He pointed, "Japanese Dragon Lady knows nothing about Chinese history! Inscriptions state there is a palace here!"

She advanced on him and responded, "You mean myths! Apparently, Chinese inscriptions are telling fairytale! If there is nothing down there, why waste time in this part-" Rumbling cut her off. "Earthquake! I feel it all the time in-" She stopped as the scene changed before the group.

A huge Chinese styled fortress started rising rapidly out of the clearing. Within seconds, it occupied the whole valley.

Tohru's mother's jaw dropped. She immediately commented, "Where did that-" Uncle cut her off with, "Heeeh. Think inscriptions were telling fairytale now, skeptic one?" He acted smug as he said this, just to irritate her more.

She growled, and was ready to knock him senseless, when a green something streaked over their heads, catching her attention. It turned into Shendu, who landed in the Palace Courtyard.

"Wah? A dragon?" cried the formerly skeptic woman. The Section 13 agents started squirming in fear, and Black was left dumbfounded.

Immediately after he landed, Shendu traced his claw in the middle of the air, creating a fiery hole. Red eyes started peeking out of the hole, clearly looking to get out.  
Tohru asked of Uncle, "Now what is he doing?"

Uncle said in response, "Preparing to release his dragon minions." This warranted a gasp from everyone on the hill.

Black, who had brought a bazooka, immediately raised it, and said, "Well, he isn't releasing anything today. Not after I blow him-"

"Put that weapon down! Shendu is immortal! Magic must defeat Magic!" yelled Uncle.

Tohru put his hand on the bazooka, and pushed it down. Black stood down. Jackie then said, "Okay, give me whatever you cooked up on the plane, Uncle. I'm going to-" He got the two-fingered slap on the head as Uncle angrily responded, "What Potion? I have nothing!"

Jackie grabbed his hair, and asked, "Why do you not have any magic to fight Shendu with, Uncle?"

Uncle pointed towards Tohru's mother, and accused, "The other dragon, Dragon Lady, kicked me out of laboratory on the plane, and messed up my work while I was at it!"

The woman face palmed, and replied back, "It was a bathroom, Billy Goat. You could have cooked your little tonic anywhere else, but you chose the bathroom. And I needed it!"

Uncle stomped towards her, and was about to get in a fight, when Tohru got in between the two, and said, "This is really not the time for you two to fight. Not when people's lives are at stake."

"Like my parents? If they fought like that, I would think they were ready to get a divorce." Everyone turned back towards the path they just traveled up, and Jade was standing there.

"Wah! Jade! Why did you follow us! This is a very dangerous place right now for you!" cried Jackie. He had clearly warned her not to come, after all. And he had been so sure he had been very firm, too.

"Like I'm going to sit around and do nothing when my folks' lives are in danger!" she retorted.

Jackie shook his head, and then said, "Listen, Jade. I understand your concern for them, but you are going to get hurt, or worse, if you get any more involved than you already are. They would rather have you safe than put your own life in danger for them, and I feel the same way. You will stay up here with Captain Black."

Jade immediately protested, "But Jackie, I can't-"

Jackie waved his hand at her, "I am doing this as your guardian, Jade. I did not accept the offer from your mother and father to take care of you to put you in any more possibilities of getting harmed than you have already put yourself in." He turned to Black, and said, "Watch her. If things get bad, you need to get her out of here immediately."

Jade growled. This was not right. She could not stand there and do nothing, but Jackie was adamant.

Jackie turned back to Uncle, and asked, "So, what am I supposed to do?"

Uncle frowned, and answered, "Uncle will stay here and try to create Spell to block dragon minions from escaping. In the meantime, you will have to go down and stall Shendu until I do so. It will be a losing battle, sadly, but hopefully Uncle will be able to find spell to assist before you fall." Uncle paused and turned and gestured at Captain Black, Section 13 personnel, the aides, Tohru and his mother. "Everyone else will wait up here as backup in case it is needed."

Jackie frowned back. The battle had yet to begin, and it was already looking grim.

"Okay. I'll try my best. Hope you can find that Spell fast." said Jackie, before he turned and ran down the hill to confront Shendu.

Jade attempted to follow him out of fear of him getting hurt, but Black restrained her.

"No, Jade. You will get killed if you go down there." Captain Black warned her.

Jade almost wanted to cry. It was very possible that Jackie was not going to survive this one, and she couldn't bear that thought. The aides, who had remained silent up until this point, felt Jade's pain. They did not want Jackie to get hurt, but they would probably be down there soon enough, they reasoned.

Chan reached the outer wall, and started scaling it. As he did, the "willies" returned. That little reminder that he was about to fight something very powerful, something that almost killed him once before.

He got to the top of the wall, and jumped over it and into the courtyard. As he landed he heard Shendu tell his minions, "Soon, my warriors. Midnight draws near."

Jackie put his dukes up and yelled, "Shendu!"

The demonic dragon turned around and saw Chan, much to his surprise. He snarled, "You… You survived the destruction of the factory? Did HE really pass his immortal Chi on to you?"

Jackie raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about, Shendu? What Chi?" Jackie cried.

The Demon Dragon narrowed his red orbs at Chan and growled deeply.

"Never you mind, Chan… You will be dead before I can explain it to you…" Shendu hissed.

And with that, Shendu activated the Rabbit Talisman and charged at Jackie…

- With the Dark Hand -

The Dark Hand arrived not long after Shendu and Jackie had started to battle. They landed their jet a distance from the fighting yet still within the four walls of the fortress, and made sure to not alert Section 13, the Chans, or Shendu of their arrival. They had traded in the copter for a jet back in San Francisco, as Valmont had enough money left to purchase a single jet that would get them across the Pacific and fast. Valmont was the first one out, followed by his self-proclaimed bodyguard, Hak Foo, and the Enforcers.

The five of them paused to observe the start of the battle, and Valmont was very pleased to see Chan fighting Shendu. That meant the old dragon would be too busy to deal with them. Or at least Valmont hoped.

Not wanting to dilly dally, Valmont motioned for his henchmen to follow him and said, "Come, come… We have much work to do…"

Hak Foo, MC Cobra, and DJ Fist followed their leader wordlessly, and Ice took one last look at the clearly one-sided fight and sneered.

"Chan best be keepin' that lizard busy… We don't have the powa to deal with that thing, fo sho."

Then Ice sauntered after his allies…

- In the Courtyard -

Jackie grimaced as Shendu knocked him back into the wall he had just climbed over. With the Ox and Rabbit Talismans, that was easy enough to do, and it didn't hurt Shendu in the least. But for Jackie, that hurt like heck. Because he was considerably light, he caused little to no indentation in the wall, even after being knocked back with the Ox Talisman.

Shendu hissed and, as Chan got up, said, "How many lives to you possess…?"

Shendu was agitated that Jackie was still alive, and agitated that Jackie could still get up after a blow like that. Shendu had been hoping for Chan to be knocked out, but that did not happen.

Jackie was a little wobbly, but got in a fighting stance once more.

"I might be crazy to take you on… And you may possess all the Talismans… But I'm not giving up!"

Shendu shook his head and roared.

"You are foolish, Jackie Chan… But I shall feed you to my minions before the night is done…"

And with that, Shendu ran at Jackie again. Jackie was prepared this time, and he rolled to the side. Shendu crashed into the wall; the dragon growled at Chan's impudence. Shendu backed up after making a sizeable indentation in the wall and turned around. Jackie was once again reminded of how big and dangerous a foe Shendu was.

Jackie weakly grinned, and jogged backwards. Shendu was a little curious as to this battle tactic, but was not surprised when Chan switched gears and sprinted forward, leg extended. Shendu caught Jackie's leg and spun around in a circle, which made Jackie very dizzy. After speeding up his spinning, Shendu released Jackie, and Jackie was sent careening dangerously close to the portal where Shendu's minions were snapping their jaws. All the same, Jackie missed and hit an inner wall of the Palace.

Jackie rubbed his head and moaned. This was going to be VERY painful, and Shendu was just using the Ox and Rabbit Talismans so far! Jackie didn't like the thought of being the plaything of a demonic dragon, but if it kept Shendu busy… Well, this was the whole reason why Jackie was doing this in the first place.

Jackie got back up and got ready to be pummeled some more. He coughed up a small portion of blood and muttered, "For Asia…" and proceeded to dash.

Up on the hill overlooking the Palace, everyone grimaced at seeing Jackie tossed around like a rag doll. Captain Black raised his bazooka again and rallied his troops.

"Men! Let's turn up the heat!"

Uncle got in Captain Black's way again, and Tohru lowered the bazooka in Black's hand once more.

"No! Magic must defeat Magic!" Uncle exclaimed. He turned to Finn, Ratso and Chow, and said, "You should go back Jackie up… NOW! Uncle is locating Spell to block dragon minions, and needs more time!"

The aides didn't need to be told twice, and they rushed to the battlefield. Tohru turned to Uncle and asked, "Should I go as well?"

Tohru's mother shook her head.

"My Baby Boy will NOT be getting hurt by evil dragon! If anyone else goes, it will be me!"

Uncle turned a page in a book and sat down on the ground. He shook his head.

"No… Send reinforcements steadily. Sending everyone all at once will make easy picking for Shendu, and you will all be fed to dragon minions."

Captain Black narrowed his eyes and raised his arms.

"But we can't sit back and do NOTHING!"

Uncle wagged his index finger.

"You are not doing 'nothing'… You are to watch for opportune moment to enter battle. If that is not enough, help Uncle research!"

Captain Black grumbled and ordered his men to pick up a book…

- With the Dark Hand -

Valmont opened the ornate doors at the bottom of the stairway, and what he saw made his eyes gleam. Ice, his crew, and Hak Foo were astonished at what they were looking at.

It was a beautiful red chamber FILLED with gold coins, vases, statues, scepters, chalices… basically anything you would find in a run-of-the-mill treasure was in this room, with its magnificence quintupled.

Valmont uttered, "The Lost Treasure of Qin Shi Huang. It's more beautiful than I ever imagined."

Ice blurted out, "Whoa. I know dragons have the meanest riches 'round, but this is well outta da league of anything I dreamed up as a little runt." He then ran into the chamber on impulse, yelling, "Strike Master Ice is in the hizzouse!"

Cobra raised his arms, and went, "Collection time! Everybody stuff your pockets!"

Hak Foo jumped over Cobra, and screamed, "Raccoon steals Food from Cellar!"

Valmont smiled as his goons went to work on collecting as much Treasure as they could. The only thing that could ruin this was if the devil dragon came down here to bask in the Treasure himself.

"Keep Shendu busy, Chan. I will be making off like the world's greatest bandit while you are at it."

- Out in the Courtyard -

Jackie found himself running for his life. He kept himself running within the four walls of the Palace, but he was still running. If he was going to get pummeled, he was going to make Shendu work for it. Shendu seemed to find great satisfaction in keeping him running around the Courtyard. He had begun to make use of the other Talismans by alternating between the Dragon, Pig, and Monkey Talismans. Jackie was singed a little from the Dragon Talisman, but the other two missed him every time. When his aides showed up, Jackie was a little relieved, yet he knew that if he dared to leave the Palace, he endangered their lives. It would be a group effort to distract Shendu.

Upon seeing more 'fresh meat', Shendu bellowed, "Well, well… The three Stooges come to the aid of their Master… You won't make the best meal for my minions, but you will be tasty all the same!"

Finn, Ratso, and Chow gulped and backed away a little from Shendu, but they kept their resolve.

"You're not gonna win tonight, Shendude!" Finn said as he shook his fist at the dragon. Ratso and Chow were right behind him.

"Uh… Yeah! That's… right!" Chow said hesitantly.

Ratso nodded in agreement.

"You're not killin' anyone tonight… Mr. Chan's gonna defeat you, like he did the Dark Hand!"

Shendu snorted. Being given a deplorable nickname was one thing, but being lumped with Valmont and his goons? Oh, the Chans were going to pay…

"I would like to see you try…" Shendu said as he inhaled deeply and breathed fire at the four of them. Jackie leaped back and dodged the oncoming flames with ease. It took a little more effort for Finn, Ratso, and Chow, but they backed up far enough to evade the fire as well. Seeing that they dodged too easily, Shendu held an open palm upward, and a fireball formed in the air above it. A big one.

Jackie's eyes widened in horror, and he knew Shendu was about to 'turn up the heat' to put it nicely.

"Bad day…" Jackie started and motioned for Finn, Ratso, and Chow to make a run for it. Then said, "Bad day… Bad day… Bad Day… BAD DAAAY!" as he began running as well. Shendu snorted and threw that fireball with no sympathy whatsoever.

Finn, Ratso, and Chow stuck close to Jackie as they ran away from the blazing fireball chasing them. The four of them turned abruptly in a corner and ran alongside the wall. Shendu's first fireball met the corner of the outer wall of his Palace and dissipated after leaving a fairly large mark. Shendu smirked and raised both arms, a single fireball in each hand.

"Target practice…" Shendu sneered and pitched the fireballs one at a time at the Chans. One went far in front of them and blocked off that route of escape. The other was aimed behind them, and squashed any ideas they had of running back in that direction. When they looked at Shendu after noticing that they could only run at Shendu, they noticed something very bad.

"What is that…?" Finn asked, terrified. He knew the answer, but…

"B… Big…" Ratso quaked in fear.

Chow just twitched and didn't say a thing. Jackie backed up against the wall, and muttered, "Bad day…" over and over. They were gawking at the humongous fireball hovering over Shendu, and it was seemingly getting bigger with fire fueling it from both hands.

Shendu laughed gleefully. This would end it, there was no doubt. Yet he had only one chance to gloat.

"Well… I must say you entertained me, and I do so enjoy jesters… But now I grow bored. Once you are sufficiently cooked, I will scarf you down and release my minions. It's a pity you won't be around to…

Shendu halted mid-rant and looked side to side. Something was in the air, and he didn't like it. There was a disturbance, yet the disturbance was not a threat. Well… not a threat to himself.

Shendu's eyes widened, and the fireball dissipated.

"MY TREASURE!" Shendu roared. Making use of the Rabbit Talisman, Shendu was off to his Treasure Room. The Chans, he felt, would have to wait. Shendu thought he had a strong suspicion of who was ransacking the Lost Treasure of Qin Shi Huang, and he was not about to let THEM get away with HIS Treasure.

Jackie, Finn, Ratso, and Chow were bewildered. One second, Shendu was ready to make kabobs out of them, and the next Shendu was angered about… his Treasure? They didn't get it, and frankly they didn't want to…

- The Treasure Room of Qin Shi Huang -

Valmont basked in the Treasure of Qin Shi Huang. It was dangerous to do so, but his greed had consumed him. He thought he had brought the biggest bags that were capable of taking all the Treasure, but apparently the Lost Treasure of Qin Shi Huang was a lot bigger than his puny imagination could comprehend. The Ice Crew was struggling with taking bags out to the jet and returning with even more bags, but that did not matter, not to Valmont. Hak Foo was the one who had the least amount of trouble hefting great amounts of treasure and returning swiftly, and this pleased Valmont, because that meant more Treasure, even if they weren't going to be able to make off with all of it.

Valmont frowned and stopped daydreaming about what he was going to do with the Treasure. He turned to the Enforcers after examining a magnificent scepter and, while still holding it, barked, "Pick up the pace! We've got a lot of Treasure to retrieve! If you don't hurry up, you are getting none of this!"

Ice panted after dropping the bag of Treasure he was about to take out to the jet.

"V-V-Man… C'mon! Let's amscray! We got, like, half this loot! More than I thought we'd ever get!"

Valmont's frown deepened and he batted the scepter against his open palm.

"So, essentially, you're saying let's not push our luck. Well, I'll have you know, Ice, that we took a great risk in coming here, and I'm not about to walk away without getting as much as possible! We can take so much more!" Valmont exclaimed.

Hak Foo reentered the Treasure Room at this point and had heard his leader's exclamation.

"Uh… Pack Mule overstuffed. And… we're out of bags."

Valmont cursed and sighed wearily.

"Very well… We shall leave with what we have. Ice, take that bag and let's go. MC Cobra, DJ Fist, come." Valmont ordered as he made his way to the exit with the scepter in hand. Cobra and Fist ceased loading their pockets and made their way over to Valmont, who was moving toward the only way out. Hak Foo remained near the exit.

Ice blinked in confusion and screamed, "BUT THE JET'S FULL! Hak just said so!"

Valmont waved a hand dismissively and didn't look back.

"Hold it in your lap. See? Not a problem."

Ice groaned and was about to retort when the doors to the Treasure Room were busted open. The heavy metal doors burst off their hinges and slammed into Hak Foo's back, which caused him to fall flat on his face, and make everyone stare wide-eyed at the entrance. A silhouette easily covered nearly the entire entrance, and this is what the Dark Hand was surprised at – not at the fact that the doors were blown off their hinges. This was NOT supposed to happen.

"Valmont… What a displeasure to see you again…" Shendu hissed, crimson eyes narrowing at Valmont and only Valmont.

Valmont gulped and dropped the scepter he was carrying.

"Sh-Shendu! W-What are you doing here?" Valmont lamely asked.

Shendu snorted and crossed his arms.

"This is MY Treasure Room... And this is MY Treasure of Qin Shi Huang. Valmont, what are YOU doing here…?" Shendu's eyes shot daggers at Valmont.

Valmont nervously pulled at his shirt collar.

"W-Well… W-We were just in the neighborhood, and thought we would appraise the Treasure of Qin Shi Huang! After all, it's been CENTURIES since these pieces were last seen, and…" Valmont ceased attempting to make up excuses for himself and winced at Shendu's glare, which seemed to only get sharper at each word he spoke.

Shendu tapped his left arm with his right index finger and frowned.

"So… Why is it that much of my Treasure is missing, Valmont…? And why were you making to exit with one of my prized scepters, if you were just APPRAISING it…? Admit it Valmont, you're nothing but a PICKPOCKET now. Pathetic."

Valmont blinked. Shendu had just given a BIG insult. This one topped all the rest.

"You… It's because of YOU that I have to resort to this, you know! I had helped you achieve your resurrection! The LEAST you could've done was give me access to half the Treasure of Qin Shi Huang! But you couldn't even do that, just because you are STUBBORN and SELFISH!" Valmont seethed. He would not back down.

Shendu roared with laughter. Valmont was perplexed.

"Are you not the same way, Valmont…? You should have just stayed in San Francisco… At least you would have not experienced my wrath immediately. And as for being selfish… look around." Shendu sneered.

Valmont blinked again and looked at his Enforcers. They were all staring at him with wide eyes, and when he looked down at Hak Foo… Hak Foo seemed to be angry.

"You see, Valmont… You don't want to share my Treasure of Qin Shi Huang with these buffoons, just like I don't want to share it with ANY of you." Shendu continued. He paused and contemplated something while ignoring the glares that were being shot at Valmont and him. "… I had come down here with the express purpose of eliminating you for being an imbecile, as always… But I have a better idea. You will fight the Chans for me, while I shall release my dragon minions. Successfully keep Chan at bay, and I shall let you have whatever Treasure you made off with before I came here… Side with Chan, and, well… you will be the first meal for my minions."

Valmont staggered back. He did not expect this. … Of course, Shendu could be lying again, but Valmont's greed was in control, not Valmont.

"… Very well, I shall hold you to that." Valmont looked at each Enforcer and Hak Foo and turned back to Shendu. "…We will not fail, Shendu. You can be sure of that."

Shendu snorted and used the Rooster Talisman to levitate the five Dark Hand members off the ground. He was tired of Valmont's empty promises, and Valmont reciprocated that sentiment. That didn't stop Shendu from plotting about eliminating both groups after releasing his army.

"Time to go…" Shendu hissed and used the Rabbit Talisman to speed out of there. Since they were still in the air because of the Rooster Talisman, Valmont and his gang was pulled out of the Treasure Room to follow Shendu and Shendu alone. They were not about to be given the chance of escape, of that Shendu was sure.

- Atop the Hill overlooking the Palace -

Captain Black paced back and forth. They had witnessed Shendu about to toast Jackie and the aides, and suddenly he sped away to somewhere else.

"It doesn't add up… They were down for the count, why abruptly leave like that…?" Black muttered. Everyone who witnessed the scene had similar thoughts, but they were equally at a loss, and had no answer, either.

Uncle said nothing and turned a page in the book he was reading. Three agents were sitted around him on the grass, and were each holding a book and skimming for the sake of covering more books of Spells.

Tohru's mother snorted after watching Uncle and the three agents reading their Spell books after a few moments.

"Should not be standing around and reading… Dragon must be defeated!"

Tohru shook his head and mumbled, "Mommy…" and sighed. Captain Black, on the other hand, liked her attitude.

"You're right. Let's get down there while Shendu's busy elsewhere, and surprise him when he gets back. Everyone come along, except Uncle and the three that are assisting him. Let's move out!"

Captain Black and the rest of his Section 13 personnel jogged down to the Palace. Tohru and his mother were right behind them, if only because Tohru's mother WANTED to go and knock Shendu into next week and because Tohru didn't want his mommy to get hurt.

Uncle's eyes widened after they had gone.

- In the Courtyard -

Reinforcements for Jackie and the aides showed up while Shendu was still MIA. Captain Black marched over to Jackie and asked in a concerned tone, "Jackie… Where is Shendu? One minute you're about to be fried, and the next… he's gone?"

Jackie shrugged and looked about, making sure Shendu didn't suddenly appear before he replied.

"He said something about his Treasure… I'm not sure about what's happening, but it's possible that someone is trying to steal his Treasure, and that's probably why he deemed it necessary to run off like that."

Captain Black raised an eyebrow.

"Jackie… Until just a little bit ago, this was just a field of grass. Who would…?" Captain Black halted his questioning and punched his hand. "Valmont. If he is here, we can nab him…"

Jackie nervously smiled and rubbed the back of his head.

"You mean after we've defeated Shendu… right? Shendu promises to destroy Asia… Also, there may be a slight chance that Shendu may… destroy him for pilfering his Treasure…"

Captain Black nodded and frowned.

"You make valid points. If Shendu keeps Valmont and his henchmen alive, though… They're mine after all this is resolved."

Jackie nodded in understanding. Captain Black had been after the Dark Hand for some time, and it was very possible that the Dark Hand would finally be arrested… if the world lived to see another day.

Jackie's thoughts were interrupted though, as an all-too-familiar voice spoke up.

"C'mon, Uncle Jackie! Let's go find that dragon, kick its butt, and take its gold!"

Jackie shook his head wildly and looked down to see Jade standing in front of him.

"Wha? Jade? What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay on the hill!"

Jade raised her right index finger and smirked.

"No, you said to stay with Captain Black. And I did, Uncle Jackie!" Jade beamed.

Captain Black face palmed. He had forgotten that Jade came along for the ride again.

Jackie shook his head and pointed at the hill.

"Go back, Jade! Now you are to stay with Uncle, understand?" Jackie said sternly.

Jade moaned and dragged her feet as she went. Everyone seemed satisfied that she was willing to go back. Yet this satisfaction dissipated when a green blur appeared in the Courtyard and stopped in about the center. They failed to see Jade run behind a wall partition and peek out from behind it.

"Uh-oh… Big, old, and gruesome's back…" Jade gasped. In truth, she had no intention of leaving. She just wanted to make everyone think she did.

Shendu leaned back and roared. With a malicious grin, Shendu said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Chan..." Taking note that reinforcements had arrived for the Chans, Shendu continued. "… And I see you did not come alone. Well… It's a good thing I found new playmates for you, because I haven't the time to be toying with you at this point in time…"

With that, the Dark Hand, still being levitated by the Rooster Talisman, appeared and were dropped carelessly. The Ice Crew landed on their backs, Hak Foo his chest, and Valmont his rump. Valmont massaged it and scowled.

Shendu sneered.

"Perhaps after I've released my dragon minions, I will return to devour you, Chan… You, personally, will have my undivided attention, because of HIS Chi that I detect within you… You must be given a slow and painful death for your impudence. But… enough gloating. Minions, ATTACK!"

All five members of the Dark Hand, who were now standing, looked about and registered that Shendu was referring to them after several moments of silence.

"FOR DA TREASUUURE!" Ice declared boldly. DJ Fist and MC Cobra were right behind him as they rushed toward Tohru and Section 13 personnel.

Hak Foo crouched low, leaped high into the air, and dived at Jackie.

"Crouching Tiger strikes Dragon Slayer!"

Valmont smirked at Captain Black and got ready to brawl with the Good Captain.

"My condolences, Captain Black… Nothing personal… Well, okay, it may be personal, at least partially, but it's MOSTLY for the Treasure of Qin Shi Huang, you see. Once Shendu is ruler of the world, you shan't hear from me again, I promise you."

Captain Black scowled and cracked his knuckles.

"Valmont… You had this coming a LONG time ago…"

Captain Black looked down to find Tohru's mother giving Valmont her trademark Evil Eye.

"You made my Baby Boy become a criminal! You will PAY!"

Valmont stiffened a little at the stout woman's declaration. All the same, he reminded himself more and more that this was for a worthy cause, despite the formidable odds against them. Tohru's mother launched into the air and Valmont steeled himself.

After briefly observing the beginning of the battle, Shendu chuckled and made his way to the portal where his dragon minions were snapping their jaws.

"The time has come, my minions… The day when Lo Pei's Legacy ends, and mine begins anew!"

And with that bold declaration, Shendu took hold of the edges of the magical portal and slowly opened it further…

**To Be Continued…**

**Apologies… The last two weeks offered little writing time. But here an update is, and around Chinese New Year's, no less! I hope you thoroughly enjoyed this Chapter; I personally look forward to penning the thirteenth Chapter!**

** Mailbag:**

nightmaster000: Glad you enjoyed last Chapter. I hope you liked this one just as much, as events are not completely the same. Shendu lives and it's not going to be pleasant for humanity, if he succeeds in slaughtering the Chans…

D.J. Scales: Happy that you, too, enjoyed the first part of Season One's finale. Here's hoping you enjoyed part two just as much. I know, you wanted a Songfic Chapter, but sadly, we did not plan for that, and it didn't seem to mesh with what we did have planned for the finale. Though if you haven't been disappointed up to this point, you won't be with what's still to come. I, personally, have never penned a Songfic, and don't plan to in the near future. Your other ideas are being mulled over, however. Don't be surprised if one makes an unexpected appearance, or at least in a way you didn't expect your ideas to. Will Jade do what she did in the Original Time Line? Hmm. We will have to see, won't we? Even I don't know… dun-dun-dun.

Alana Fox: Well… here's part two. I don't want to disclose information about the part three, which is currently in the works, but if you enjoyed last Chapter and this Chapter, you won't be disappointed. I look forward to your comments!


	13. Clock Strikes Twelve

Shendu leaned back and roared. With a malicious grin, Shendu said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Chan..." Taking note that reinforcements had arrived for the Chans, Shendu continued. "… And I see you did not come alone. Well… It's a good thing I found new playmates for you, because I haven't the time to be toying with you at this point in time…"

With that, the Dark Hand, still being levitated by the Rooster Talisman, appeared and were dropped carelessly. The Ice Crew landed on their backs, Hak Foo his chest, and Valmont his rump. Valmont massaged it and scowled.

Shendu sneered.

"Perhaps after I've released my dragon minions, I will return to devour you, Chan… You, personally, will have my undivided attention, because of HIS Chi that I detect within you… You must be given a slow and painful death for your impudence. But… enough gloating. Minions, ATTACK!"

All five members of the Dark Hand, who were now standing, looked about and registered that Shendu was referring to them after several moments of silence.

"FOR DA TREASUUURE!" Ice declared boldly. DJ Fist and MC Cobra were right behind him as they rushed toward Tohru and Section 13 personnel.

Hak Foo crouched low, leaped high into the air, and dived at Jackie.

"Crouching Tiger strikes Dragon Slayer!"

Valmont smirked at Captain Black and got ready to brawl with the Good Captain.

"My condolences, Captain Black… Nothing personal… Well, okay, it may be personal, at least partially, but it's MOSTLY for the Treasure of Qin Shi Huang, you see. Once Shendu is ruler of the world, you shan't hear from me again, I promise you."

Captain Black scowled and cracked his knuckles.

"Valmont… You had this coming a LONG time ago…"

Captain Black looked down to find Tohru's mother giving Valmont her trademark Evil Eye.

"You made my Baby Boy become a criminal! You will PAY!"

Valmont stiffened a little at the stout woman's declaration. All the same, he reminded himself more and more that this was for a worthy cause, despite the formidable odds against them. Tohru's mother launched into the air and Valmont steeled himself.

After briefly observing the beginning of the battle, Shendu chuckled and made his way to the portal where his dragon minions were snapping their jaws…

Jackie rolled to the side immediately after Hak Foo had lunged at him. He zigzagged through the other warring parties, dodging kicks, punches, and even a body slam. Jackie hoped he would be able to stall Shendu further, but the dragon was making his way over to the portal. He rolled away from Tohru's incoming fist, which would've smashed him in two, and leaped over the Enforcers, who seemed furious they let Chan get through so easily.

Jackie was feet away from the Demon when he suddenly felt himself tackled to the ground. Craning his head so that he could catch a glimpse of who was sitting on him, Jackie spotted crimson hair.

"You go no farther, Chan! Vicious Dragon has no time to play with Pitiful Mouse!"

Jackie narrowed his eyes and tried to reason with Hak Foo.

"Are you crazy? If we don't stop Shendu, he'll destroy ALL of Asia!"

Hak Foo growled and punched Jackie's noggin.

"You told us that before! But WE will be getting a reward for our services! You have no idea how much Treasure we'll get in exchange for helping this Demon, Chan!"

Jackie growled back and yelled.

"Ugh! You are impossible! An entire continent will be wiped away because of your greed!"

Hak Foo smirked and tightly grasped Jackie's head with his right hand.

"So what. You can't stop this Demon. No one can. It's best to just side with the winning team, Chan. I would suggest not getting on this Dragon's bad side, but you are too stubborn to listen to me…"

Jackie buried his face in the dirt and sighed in defeat. Shendu had won. The Dark Hand was effectively keeping them at bay, despite being outnumbered. Jackie waited for the sound of numerous roars, and perhaps the beating of wings.

"The time has come, my minions… The day when Lo Pei's legacy ends, and mine begins anew!"

And with that bold declaration, Shendu took hold of the edges of the magical portal and slowly opened it further. Jackie looked up as Shendu did this and said this, tears flowing down his face. He had failed. Jackie sniffed.

Suddenly an elongated stream of emerald light hit the portal and Shendu, who had been ripping the portal open with his bare hands and was now screaming upon being blasted with 'Good Magic'.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwui Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwui Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwui Fai Di Zao!"

Shendu released the portal and whipped around to come face to face with Uncle, who was pointing a mystical trinket and aiming it at the portal containing the dragon minions.

"NO!" Shendu roared and ran at the old man.

Everyone had ceased their brawling to witness Shendu bearing down on Uncle. Uncle took one step to the side, dodging Shendu entirely, and kept chanting his mantra. Jackie, with a renewed hope, threw Hak Foo off his back and leaped to his feet and put up his dukes once again. Hak Foo glared at Uncle and got to his feet and dashed at Uncle.

"Cheetah pounces on Aged Gazelle…!" Hak Foo cried.

Jackie leaped at Hak Foo and wrapped his arms around Hak Foo's knees, which brought the red-headed hitman down to the ground again. Thanks to the lack of successful interference, Uncle made the portal shrink. Shendu shot heat beam eye blasts at Uncle's back, but Uncle thought to keep moving and chanting at the same time, which kept him safe from blasts from the Pig, Dragon, and Monkey Talismans. Eventually, the portal was fully sealed, and Shendu's dragon minions were lost to him.

Shendu, not to mention everyone else who witnessed this, was left speechless. Uncle smirked proudly. Crisis averted. Mostly. Shendu was still alive and free.

"Uncle did it…" Jackie mumbled. He beamed and released Hak Foo, who was now pounding the ground in defeat.

The Enforcers were blinking in disbelief, and Valmont's mouth was agape. This was truly unexpected. A part of each them realized, however, that there would be repercussions for this. Yet they were taken by surprise, all the same. Captain Black appeared relieved, and so did his men.

Tohru sighed in relief.

"Now we just have to deal with Shendu…" Tohru muttered.

Tohru's mother snorted and crossed her arms.

"Humph. Crisis averted that easily? Big Dragon isn't so scary…"

Shendu balled his hands into fists and glared fiercely at Uncle's back. Uncle turned around to wave at his comrades, but not to look at Shendu.

"My… My glorious army… Banished…" Shendu shook his head and roared at the sky. "Lo Pei… I still live. Just because my army has been banished, it does not mean I will not carry out my vengeance…"

Shendu activated the Rabbit Talisman and rushed at Uncle. Uncle noticed this out of the corner of his eye, but could not do anything due to the speed that Shendu was coming at him. Uncle was knocked back and he bounced on the ground due to the impact. Uncle moaned and adjusted his glasses, but he did not get back up right away. In response to Shendu's assault, Jackie hopped back on his feet and glowered at Shendu.

"You are defeated, Shendu… What do you hope to accomplish without your army?"

Shendu laughed and pointed accusingly at Jackie.

"You forget, Chan… I possess twelve powerful Talismans. Even without my dragon minions, I can still enslave your world! Because of the infernal Wizard, you will ALL perish! That means you, Valmont…" Shendu growled deeply and stared spitefully at Valmont.

Valmont swallowed nervously. He got behind Captain Black and apprehensively pointed at Shendu.

"Y-You don't scare me, Shendu! We have a deal! Chan is your enemy, not me!"

Shendu scoffed and snorted smoke.

"Valmont… Why don't you stop hiding behind others before you try and convince me that you are not afraid, hmm…?" Shendu paused and directed his gaze at Jackie. "But… You have a point, all the same. Jackie Chan should pay first, and then the Wizard. But then… Valmont, ready yourself."

Shendu chuckled and Valmont shrank behind Captain Black, who groaned at the Englishman's cowardice. Shendu crouched down and focused on Jackie.

Jade watched all of this from afar and stayed rooted on the spot. Here Uncle had just made things a lot easier, and now Shendu was going to go all-out on them. This was a given, since the demonic dragon was bent on world domination, however.

"Battle may be won… But war still goes on."

Jade jumped up in surprise and pounded her chest with a fist after realizing it was just Uncle. Now she understood why Jackie did that whenever she surprised him… Somehow, Uncle had moved over by her without Shendu noticing. Uncle moved fast. Either that or Shendu's monologue went on longer than she thought. Uncle dusted off his glasses with his vest.

"Unc… Why didn't you make Shendu powerless while you were at it?" Jade asked.

Uncle threw his hands into the air at the question.

"Aiyah! Uncle can only focus on making one Spell at a time! Uncle found Talisman Removal Spell, again, but would be useless if dragon minions were freed! Fortunately, secret agent found Spell to seal portal. Uncle will now make Talisman Removal Potion, and secret agents should have necessary ingredients prepared now. Come, Uncle will need your assistance." Uncle motioned for Jade to follow him as he began to make his way toward the hill.

"B-But… I-I gotta help distract Shendu! Uncle Jackie could be killed if I didn't!" Jade tried to reason.

Uncle shook his head and wagged his index finger.

"What would you do…? Hmm? Become Dragon Midnight Snack…? Jackie would not let you go that close to Shendu, and neither will I. Come. You will be better off helping Uncle." Uncle grabbed Jade's wrist and yanked her away from the battlefield. Jade fought him at first, but she soon realized Uncle had a point. And besides, Uncle Jackie had all those reinforcements now. Tohru, Captain Black, and everyone else would be able to lend a hand, though Jade wanted to as well.

"Don't worry, Uncle Jackie… Just a little longer." Jade murmured.

No sooner had Jade turned her back than Jackie had been launched into the air by Shendu rushing at him with the Rabbit Talisman's power. Jackie waved his arms about frantically as he tried to stop himself from falling back down to Shendu, and Shendu took great amusement in Jackie Chan's futile efforts. Shendu spit a small fireball at Jackie, and it caused Jackie's pants to ignite. But before the fire spread, Shendu took hold of Jackie's legs and spun around, going faster and faster with the Rabbit Talisman power at work. By the time Shendu stopped and launched Jackie into a wall, Jackie had severe dizziness and nausea. But the fire was put out on his pants.

Jackie sat up after colliding with the wall and said, "Hello, I'm Jackie! Can the world stop spinning, please? I don't want another merry-go-round ride, thank you!" And then he slumped against the wall, dazed.

Captain Black watched this in shock and suddenly found his bazooka raised and aimed at Shendu's back.

"No dragon's gonna kill Jackie on my watch…"

Captain Black fired and Shendu roared in pain after being hit in the back. Shendu turned around and viciously glared at the group of humans – former allies and foes alike.

"Whoever assaulted me will be happy to know that they will be dying a very painful death…" Shendu growled and seethed.

Captain Black quickly hid his bazooka from Shendu's sight and sweated. Ice sneered at Captain Black from afar, and Captain Black shot a glare at the Enforcer. If Shendu got his wish, they were ALL going to die painfully. The sad fact was, no one was an ally to Shendu – not even the Dark Hand. Not anymore. Shendu turned back to Jackie after what seemed like an eternity. When Shendu had his back to them…

"Do not let ANYONE assist Mr. Chan! I do not want ANY of us on Shendu's naughty list!" Valmont commanded Hak Foo and his Enforcers. Needless to say, they swiftly obeyed and resumed attacking the Chans and Section 13.

And suddenly Captain Black was reminded that Valmont was behind him. Captain Black whipped around and glared at the Englishman, who was now standing up straight and appearing prideful in front of his adversary.

"Are you nuts? Even if you delay us, Shendu's still going to make you into flaming kabobs! None of us are in good standing with that… that thing!" Captain Black exclaimed.

Valmont rolled his eyes and swiftly kicked Black in the gut. Captain Black winced and glared at Valmont out of his right eye.

"You expect me to betray Shendu, when he's not some wall decoration, my Dear Captain? At the moment, that Albatross is too focused on Mr. Chan… I'm planning on getting out of here, once my henchmen have dealt with your…"

Valmont stopped mid-rant as he suddenly found himself short of breath. Captain Black had sucker punched him in the gut. Valmont clutched his gut and winced.

"If you're this greedy just to get your hands on some Treasure… Valmont, any respect I had for you has just been lost."

Valmont's eyes widened and he protested testily.

"S-SOME TREASURE? I'll have you know, my GOOD CAPTAIN… that the Lost Treasure of Qin Shi Huang is not your run-of-the-mill…"

Before Valmont could finish his correction, Captain Black crossed his arms and interrupted him.

"Okay. Ignoring the fact that Shendu will kill you, if he succeeds in eliminating Jackie… Even if that dragon lets you have that Treasure, where are you going to spend it? No one's going to want to have anything to do with a man that helped bring about the destruction of one of the largest continents in the world! All of your efforts will have been for nothing!"

Valmont twitched and clenched his hands into fists. No matter what, he was not going to back down. They had come too far to back down now. And besides, Captain Black had the gall to suggest that they were going to SPEND the Treasure… even if there was some truth to it…

Valmont got in a quasi-fighting stance and rushed at Captain Black.

While Valmont and Captain Black began to brawl again, Black's second-in-command, the bald guy, turned to Ice and raised an eyebrow.

"You're seriously not going to do what he says, are you? We've gotta stop that dragon at all costs!"

Ice rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Yo. If V-Man says we fight to stay on Shendu's good side, we's fight to stay on Shendu's good side. Dig?"

DJ Fist and MC Cobra nodded in agreement behind their leader. Black's second-in-command groaned. He had hoped to convince the irksome teenagers, but they were too loyal to Valmont. Turning to the other agents that were present, Black's second-in-command ordered, "Alright… Let's take them down."

Black's second-in-command raised his gun, and so did the rest of the Section 13 personnel that were present. With so many guns aimed at them, Ice held up his hands peacefully.

"A-Alright… Now, that's not cool, y'all. How the heck is it fair that you get guns, and we don't?"

Captain Black's second-in-command smirked.

"You aren't prepared to back down. So, we'll take you out and move onto Shendu. 'You dig?'" Black's second-in-command mocked.

Ice growled and nudged MC Cobra and DJ Fist to raise their arms up in surrender.

"… Fine. But this'll come back to haunt ya, dawg." Ice grumbled. DJ Fist and MC Cobra surrendered with Ice.

And while the Ice Crew was being outgunned, Hak Foo was tangoing with the aides, Tohru, and Tohru's mother. Though to be brutally honest, Tohru's mother was more than he could take.

"Cobra Strike!" Hak Foo yelled as he threw a punch at Tohru's mother, but she grabbed his arm and twisted it forcefully. Hak Foo winced, but maneuvered his legs off the ground and spun them much like a helicopter in a kicking frenzy. "Flying Dragon Corkscrew!"

Tohru's mother tilted her head to the side and slammed Hak Foo to the ground, still holding onto his arm the whole time.

"You will not be hurting my Baby Boy, Strange Man…" Tohru's mother stated as-matter-of-factly.

Hak Foo growled.

"Snake cuts Grass!" Hak Foo performed a sweeping kick, but Tohru's mother leaped up and came down hard on Hak Foo's chest. Hak Foo cried out in pain, and Tohru's mother quickly hopped off the eccentric hitman and beamed.

"Your moves are lacking, Strange Man… Just give up!" Tohru's mother said while rolling her eyes.

In response, Hak Foo rolled to the side and leaped to his feet.

"Hungry Wolf slaughters Lamb!" Hak Foo bellowed and ran at Tohru's mother. Tohru's mother's eyes gleamed with ferocity for a second, and stopped the assault with a single, solid punch beneath Hak Foo's chin. Hak Foo's eyes widened and he went flying skyward. Tohru's mother crossed her arms and waited for the red-headed hitman to come back down to earth. Hak Foo used his position in the air, though, and yelled upon descending on Tohru's mother. "Screaming Eagle Feet!"

Tohru's mother stepped to the side and Hak Foo left a medium-sized crater as his feet made contact with the ground. Hak Foo was prepared for another attack, but Tohru's mother was quick on her feet and she kicked Hak Foo upside the head after leaping up to that height. Hak Foo reeled back into Tohru, and Tohru gave him a big, big squeeze. Hak Foo felt lightheaded and collapsed at Tohru's feet.

"Good job, Tohru! My Baby Boy did so well at fighting Strange Man!" Tohru's mother said as she beamed at Tohru.

Tohru rubbed the back of his head and frowned.

"But… But mommy… You did most of the fighting…" Tohru mumbled.

Tohru's mother waved her hand dismissively.

"I did not want my Baby Boy getting hurt… With me fighting and distracting Strange Man, I knew my Baby Boy could move in for the kill!" Tohru's mother beamed proudly.

Finn frowned and pointed at Hak Foo tensely.

"Uh… It's not over yet…" Finn pointed out.

Ratso, Chow, Tohru and his mother looked down, and, sure enough, Hak Foo was pushing himself to get up.

"Slumbering… Bear… greets…"

Hak Foo couldn't finish his eccentricity, because Tohru turned around and 'accidentally' sat down. Hak Foo had enough energy to utter, "Ugh…" before losing consciousness. Tohru's mother just seemed more proud. Once the Ice Crew had been handcuffed, Section 13 made their way over to the Chans, and handcuffed the unconscious Hak Foo. With the four of them handcuffed, and Captain Black settling his 'feud' with Valmont, they could now help Jackie.

The Chans and Section 13 were doing well against the Dark Hand, but Jackie was not faring so well against Shendu. To put it bluntly, Shendu was still toying around with him, and seemed in no rush to end what was a very painful, painful battle… for Jackie.

"What's the matter, Chan…? I thought you were going to save the world from me!" Shendu cackled and unleashed a barrage of fireballs at his nemesis.

Jackie rolled left and right to dodge the flaming orbs, but they were coming faster and faster, and he just wasn't sure if he'd be able to evade them all. Seeing very few options, Jackie ran up the wall that he was pinned against and performed a backflip over Shendu's head. Jackie landed nimbly behind Shendu, and he seemed content enough. Shendu, on the other hand…

"CHAAAN!" Shendu roared. He whipped around, blew fire and clawed at his immediate backside. Jackie leaped back and shuddered. Shendu was getting more and more ferocious by the second. If he wasn't careful, he wasn't going to be able to assist Uncle when he came back with the Talisman Retrieval Potion.

Before Jackie could even think of running away again, Shendu unleashed the power of the Rooster Talisman and levitated Jackie off the ground.

"Wha!" Jackie cried and tried to find solid ground again. Being levitated like this was actually really uncomfortable. Jackie was foolish enough to cry out, "P-Put me down!"

Shendu took great delight in Chan's discomfort.

"Jackie Chan… I tire of this game of cat and mouse. You need to stay put, otherwise you will not be properly cooked!" Shendu licked his chops and sneered. "It has been ages since I had a decent human meal… And a well-cooked human tastes SO much better than raw human. Still, I must admit… even when raw, humans are so much better than any other type of meat any day…"

Jackie stiffened and his eyes were bulging in horror. Shendu was really contemplating on devouring him.

"N-No… You can't! I-I really won't taste good! Isn't there a more satisfying way of killing me?"

Shendu roared with laughter and crossed his arms without breaking the field of levitation surrounding Jackie.

"Oh, there are oh so many ways to kill you, Chan… Yet I think the MOST satisfying way will be eating you. Not only will it confirm that you are, indeed, dead, it will be a most DELICIOUS revenge. You should be proud; you're going to be my first meal for over nine centuries!"

Jackie grimaced, yet resigned. He couldn't do a thing while Shendu had him levitating like this. He bowed his head and awaited his messy fate. Shendu delighted in his resignation.

Jackie waited. He waited, and waited, and waited. The end was in sight, so why did Shendu take an eternity to revel in his victory? The reason was…

"OPEN FIRE!" Captain Black's second-in-command barked.

Agents on either side of Shendu fired bazookas, and some even dared to throw smoke grenades. Tohru took this time to scoop up the levitating Jackie, whose levitation was broken due to Section 13's distraction, and stepped as far back as possible. Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Tohru's mother were right behind them, and no sooner had they reached a fairly safe distance than the smoke cleared due to Shendu's Talismans.

"Hmph… So the cavalry has arrived… How fortunate for you, Jackie Chan…" Shendu smirked. "Well… I will dispose of this… nuisance… and then I shall come for you. Ready yourself, Chan; this will not take very long at all…"

Shendu immediately began to spin after he had spoken these words, and he spun faster and faster with the Rabbit Talisman. With the Rooster Talisman, he levitated the agents off the ground and sent them packing. Shendu cared very little for where they landed. After the dust and the seemingly endless torrent of guns, which had been separated from their respective agents because of the Rooster Talisman, Shendu ceased spinning and faced Jackie, Tohru, Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Tohru's mother. Apart from Captain Black and Valmont, who were duking it out on the other side of the Courtyard, they were the only ones present in the Courtyard now.

Shendu crouched and got ready to utilize the Rabbit Talisman. He planned to ram all six foes and nab Chan, who was still in shock from being rescued.

"Are you ready, Chan…?" Shendu sneered.

In response, Tohru scooped up his mother, who protested, saying, "I can take Mean Dragon on, Tohru! Put me down!" But Tohru would not let either Jackie or his mother be hurt. Finn, Ratso, and Chow got in front of them.

"Don't worry, Big T! We got this!" Finn said and gave him two thumbs up.

Ratso nodded.

"Yeah… Just leave it to us! Get Mr. Chan away from here, so he can heal some!"

Chow pointed at a now-growling Shendu.

"Uh… guys…" Chow said meekly.

Shendu snarled.

"Do not stand in the way of my revenge… Ready or not, here I COME!" Shendu roared.

Everyone went wide-eyed when the Rabbit Talisman activated and Shendu came barreling down on them. Tohru acted quickly and threw Jackie as far away as possible, while he hugged his mother firmly. The five of them – Finn, Ratso, Chow, Tohru and his mother – were knocked over like bowling pins, and were scattered everywhere. Finn was sent flying into a wall, but not too hard. Chow and Ratso were knocked on their behinds. And Tohru was knocked on his back, still hugging his mother on top of him.

Shendu stood where they formerly did and roared at the nighttime sky. He did not witness Tohru toss Jackie, and he did not see him on top of Tohru. Because he lost sight of Chan, he stood over Tohru and his mother quite furiously.

"Where is Chan…?" Shendu growled deeply.

While Shendu interrogated Tohru, Jackie was beside the entrance to the Courtyard, rubbing his head.

"Owww…." Jackie moaned. Tohru did not have the time to toss him gingerly; he had to be THROWN in order to not be plucked from Tohru's arm by Shendu. Jackie was still reeling from all that had happened. One moment, he was near death, and the next, he was being pitched by Tohru. At least from Jackie's perspective.

And suddenly it hit him.

"T-Tohru! Finn! Ratso! Chow!" Jackie exclaimed. If he wasn't hit, then they…

Jackie looked over at where the five of them had stood, and Shendu was now towering over Tohru. Finn, Ratso, and Chow were scattered. Fortunately for Jackie, however, Shendu did not hear his exclamation.

"Jackie…"

Jackie whipped around to find Uncle standing there.

"U-Uncle! I… You… Did you make that Retrieval Potion yet?" Jackie asked, hope in his voice.

Uncle nodded and held up a beaker with a vibrant green liquid inside.

"Yes. This Potion will remove the Talismans from within Shendu."

Jackie quirked an eyebrow.

"Remove? All twelve?"

Uncle shook his head and motioned for Jackie to hold out his hands. As Jackie did so, Uncle poured the Potion on his hands.

"Not if you are cunning like Jade… Some Talismans within Shendu are not for power, but sustenance. For example, without the reanimation that the Rat Talisman provides, he would revert back to being a statue."

Jackie frowned.

"So… I just remove the Rat Talisman, and we win?"

Uncle nodded, but held up his index finger.

"Yes. However, you have a one-twelfth chance of retrieving that Talisman on first try. So, do not get cocky. Just try your best, Jackie." Uncle paused and motioned to Tohru, Tohru's mother, the aides, and the Section 13 agents sprawled out on the ground. "All of us here and all of Asia… are counting on you."

Jackie's shoulders sank and he sighed wearily. That was one way of making the burden heftier. Still, the burden was always there, and Jackie just didn't like to think of the price of failure.

"… Alright. Thank you, Uncle. I will take it from here."

Shendu continued to stand over Tohru and growl. He was getting more agitated by the minute.

"I'll ask you again, Tohru… Where. Is. Chan?" Shendu seethed. To be honest, he could just go and look for Chan on his own, but Chan would be hiding like a mouse at this point, and Shendu tired of the game of cat and mouse.

Tohru glared up at Shendu.

"Hmph. You will never bring harm to Jackie Chan ever again, Shendu. You WILL be defeated."

Shendu hissed and failed to notice Jackie going along the wall and making his way to behind him. Shendu raised a claw and got ready to just end Tohru's life, not to mention Tohru's mother's life.

"I've had just about enough of your impudence, Tohru… Farewell…"

Before Shendu could carry out the execution, however, he felt someone on his back and reaching into him. Jackie dug deep, clutched a Talisman, and pulled it out. Jackie hopped off of Shendu's back. He looked up, hoping to see Shendu as nothing but a stone statue again, but he wasn't so lucky. Instead, Shendu was now facing him and glaring at him.

"Give me my Talisman, Chan…" Shendu ordered.

Jackie looked down, and noticed it was the Horse Talisman.

"Horse…?" Jackie mumbled. Then he pocketed the Talisman. "Nope. Sorry, no refunds! Bye-bye!"

Jackie turned around and immediately began running. Shendu balled his hands into fists.

"CHAAAN!" Shendu bellowed.

Shendu raced after Chan. He was on him in an instant with the Rabbit Talisman, but Jackie stopped and rolled beneath his legs, reaching for another Talisman while he was at it. Jackie peered down at his new prize, and discovered it was the Tiger Talisman.

"MY TALISMANS!" Shendu roared and blasted heat beam eye blasts at Chan's backside. Jackie barely pocketed the Tiger Talisman before he was knocked down from the eye blasts.

Shendu was about to levitate Jackie off the ground, but he found Finn trying to put him in a headlock.

"Nuh-uh! Finders Keepers!" Finn laughed, despite the circumstances.

Shendu growled and used the Rooster Talisman to levitate Finn off of his back and had Finn float in front of him.

"Impudent…" Shendu started.

Suddenly Jackie was on his chest and reaching in for another Talisman. Finn ceased floating, once Jackie pulled it out, and they were now at Shendu's feet. Jackie looked at the Talisman in his hands, and was pleased to see it was the Rooster Talisman.

Jackie held it up proudly and said, "Ha! Now WE have a slight advantage, Shendu!"

Shendu's eyes widened and he was levitated off the ground by the Rooster Talisman and sent careening toward a wall several feet behind him. Shendu crashed into the wall hard. Finn helped Jackie up and they high fived. Maybe it WAS possible to win. They already had a fourth of the Talismans, after all.

Captain Black twisted Valmont's arm and took a minute to check on Jackie's progress with Shendu. It had been a while since he got a good, long look, and he was curious. Black was pleased to see Jackie handing three Talismans to Finn, and Finn pocketing them. That meant the counterattack had begun, and that it was very possible that they would save Asia.

Captain Black winced at his foot being stepped on by Valmont, and he released Valmont and comically hopped on one foot. He would have to wait to check up on Jackie again, because he had a personal vendetta to settle with Valmont.

"Alright, Valmont. Put up your dukes, it's time we ended this." Captain Black said, putting up his own dukes.

Valmont spat and wiped his mouth with his wrist as he put up his dukes.

"Couldn't agree more, Mon Capitan. Couldn't agree more…"

And with that, they swung their fists hard, each connecting with the other's cheek.

"I don't know, Mr. Chan… Are you sure about this? I mean, you said it yourself. We're just starting to level the playing field, and we've already seen what it's like for you to face Shendude WITHOUT Talismans… Can't you at least keep the Rooster Talisman, to give you an edge?"

Jackie shook his head.

"No, Finn… We need to play this cautiously. Now that we're extracting Talismans, we can't risk Shendu getting them back in this fight. Yes, he still has an extreme edge with some of the most powerful Talismans, but we can't let him reabsorb the Talismans we already have. If we do, we'll be back at square one. Or worse…"

Finn frowned, but nodded.

"Okay… I see your point… But at least let us help you! This is DANGEROUS!"

Jackie nodded.

"Yes, though I don't like putting you or anyone else in this kind of danger… I will need your help. However, before YOU can help, Finn, I need you to get those Talismans to a safe location. No doubt Shendu will be able to sense his Talismans, so leave them with someone… like Uncle. Yes, go and give them to Uncle. I should be fine for now."

"B-But…" Finn started.

Ratso and Chow were immediately at Jackie's side.

"Don't worry about it, Finn. We got Mr. Chan's back. It's gonna be tough, but…" Ratso began.

"But we're good at distracting him. Heck, he lost sight of Jackie when Tohru tossed him to the entrance of the Courtyard. Jackie needs that kind of distraction, Finn. And he needs it now, while you go and deliver the Talismans to Uncle. We'll each take turns doing that!" Chow finished and beamed.

Jackie turned around at a light stomping, and saw Tohru and his mother right behind him.

"We have your back as well, Mr. Chan… Our own homeland is at stake. Just focus on retrieving the Talismans, and we will focus on attacking him head-on."

Jackie sighed. He nodded, but he was reluctant to endanger them.

"Alright… I will do my best to retrieve the Rat Talisman and just end this."

Just as Jackie got behind Tohru, Shendu stood up and roared. Shendu was obviously irritated that his Talismans were being used against him, and that the Chans were facing him again while Jackie cowardly hid.

"Chan! Come out, NOW!" Shendu roared.

Finn held up the Rooster Talisman and made Shendu levitate.

"Go, Mr. Chan!"

Jackie's eyes widened, and he shouted, "Finn!" But it was too late. Shendu was used to this attack by now, and he was flying at Finn with the aid of the Rabbit Talisman. However, Tohru stood in the way of Shendu and did his best to hold the dragon back. Finn reluctantly took his leave, and Jackie scaled Tohru's back and hopped on Shendu.

"Chan! You will NOT take anymore Talismans!" Shendu declared. But it was too late. Jackie slid down Shendu's back, while reaching inside of it at the same time. Jackie pulled out a Talisman and leaped back. Looking at it, it was the Monkey Talisman.

"Well, that's one potential hazard avoided…" Jackie breathed a sigh of relief. However, when he looked up, he saw Shendu manhandling Tohru and carelessly flinging Tohru at him. Jackie squatted low to the ground and narrowly missed Tohru, who was sent careening into the wall. That was becoming too typical today, Jackie thought.

When Jackie turned his attention back to Shendu, Shendu was right in front of him, big red eyes at his eyes' level.

"I want my Talismans, Chan… And you WILL give them BACK!" Shendu growled.

Jackie nervously chuckled and ever so casually reached into Shendu's head with BOTH hands and pulled out two Talismans. After he had casually pocketed the Monkey Talisman.

"Um… Did I mention no refunds? And, um… Thank you!"

Shendu grabbed Jackie with one meaty claw before he could even think of looking at what Talismans he had just 'scored'. Because of the vice grip, Jackie 'reluctantly' let the Talismans in his hands drop to the ground. Shendu turned Jackie upside down and shook him. The Monkey Talisman dropped out, and Jackie noticed that he had managed to pull out the Pig and Sheep Talismans. That meant Shendu still possessed the Ox, Rabbit, Dragon, Dog, Snake, and, of course, Rat Talismans. He was still going to be a tough opponent, even if they did succeed to get the Pig, Sheep, and Monkey Talismans away from him.

Because he knew where Jackie was, and Jackie was in a 'good' position, Shendu smirked and held him in that position.

"Well… It appears I'm going to eat you after all, Chan. You did well to get half of my Talismans… Yet I must say, you had a LONG ways to go."

As Shendu got ready to roast Jackie with a fiery blast from his mouth, Chow, Ratso, and Tohru's mother were on him.

"GET HIM!" Chow screamed.

Chow and Ratso hugged Shendu's legs, and Tohru's mother aimed a flying kick at his backside.

"Aiyiyiyi!" Tohru's mother shrieked and successfully knocked Shendu down.

Before being crushed by Shendu, Jackie managed to swipe the Pig, Sheep, and Monkey Talismans off the ground and pocket them. Shendu got back up and shook his head. He shot piercing glares at Chow, Ratso, and Tohru's mother, who looked proud that they had dealt a blow to Shendu, finally.

Shendu growled and turned his eyes back to Chan, but he was already rolling away and moving again. Shendu noticed that he had taken the Talismans that had been on the ground.

"CHAAAAAAAN!" Shendu shrieked. He had had just about enough of fighting Chan. NOW he regretted playing around with Chan earlier. Shendu sped after Jackie with the Rabbit Talisman, but he did not notice Jackie, under his right arm, tossing the Pig, Sheep, and Monkey Talismans like shuriken to Chow. Chow caught all three and got the message. He knew he was to take those Talismans to Uncle.

Chow ran off, and left Ratso, Tohru, and Tohru's mother to support Jackie. Before he got past the entrance to the Courtyard, however, Finn pulled him aside.

"Chow, just drop the Talismans off here." Finn said in a hushed whisper.

Chow blinked behind his glasses and made wild gesticulations.

"W-WHAT? Why?" Chow demanded.

Finn sighed and crossed his arms.

"Listen. If we succeed, and I'm counting on it, why should we hold onto the Talismans? We take these babies back to San Francisco, and either some crook, who happened to be taken back to Section 13 for questioning or otherwise, will find 'em and take 'em out for a spin, or someone within Section 13 will go power mad! Heck, I'M tempted to use these things to take down Shendu, and then have some fun with 'em afterwards, which is why we should leave 'em here!"

Chow grunted but relented and dropped the three Talismans he had brought. They landed on Finn's pile.

"Fine… But I just wanna know, how do you know we'll succeed? We've only got half the Talismans, and Shendu's still packing some firepower. If he eliminates Mr. Chan, we're all doomed, even if Uncle creates more of that Extraction Potion! Then it'll only take Shendu a little time to sense his Talismans, and he'll find 'em! And how do you know someone won't find the Talismans out here, after we're done?"

Finn sighed and placed a reassuring hand on Chow's shoulder.

"The more Talismans Mr. Chan gets, the more of a chance he'll have at nabbing that Rat Talisman within Shendude! I won't deny someone possibly locating the Talismans out here, after we've left… But what other choice do we have? There's a greater risk of someone abusing them in San Fran! I say leave 'em out here, and never talk about them again…"

Chow sighed and nodded.

"Alright, alright… Let's go. Mr. Chan still needs our help."

And with that, they ran back to the battle…

Jade heaved a sigh of relief. Uncle Jackie had retrieved six out of twelve Talismans, and he had gotten out of all the close calls that had been thrown at him. Jade had a couple of close calls herself. Every time that Shendu caught her Uncle Jackie and struck him, she just wanted to run out into the thick of battle and help in any way imaginable. But, thanks to Uncle holding her back each and every time, she was relieved to see he got away from Shendu, mostly unharmed.

Now the battle was getting very intense, and it took all of Jade's willpower to stay strong and remain by Uncle's side. Uncle was kind enough to let them move, with the three agents that had stayed behind with Uncle, to the handcuffed group of felons down in the Courtyard. Somebody needed to watch them, after all. Hak Foo was still unconscious, but the Ice Crew would slip away if they didn't have guards. Uncle knew he would be able to keep them in line, since Captain Black was busy with Valmont.

It was too bad that Uncle was unaware that Finn and Chow had chosen to hide the Talismans that they had won, rather than give them to him…

Jackie grimaced as he was struck by Shendu's right arm. Again. Shendu was getting nasty, but with good reason. Technically he was at half power, and Jackie had a pretty high chance of pulling out the Rat Talisman. Even with the aid of Finn, Ratso, Chow, Tohru and his mother, Jackie began to find it hard to keep up with the big dragon. His body was aching badly, and he was very, very tired. But Jackie had to press on, or Shendu would devour him and everyone else present. And then Shendu would reclaim the Talismans that they had worked hard to retrieve. Jackie knew all of this already, and he knew it was a very bad thing to happen, but it was getting exceedingly difficult.

After Shendu knocked Jackie away once more, Shendu placed his hands on his hips.

"What's the matter, Chan…? You seem fatigued… With the Dog Talisman, I can keep going. And with the Ox, Rabbit, Dragon, and Snake Talismans at my disposal, I can still finish you off. It is over for you, no human can conquer Shendu, the Ultimate Evil!"

Tohru came up from behind and hugged him tightly around the waist. Apparently, he had stood up and snuck up from behind.

"Mr. Chan! NOW!"

Jackie jumped to his feet and ran at Shendu. He pulled out another Talisman, but then Shendu knocked both of them away with the sheer strength of the Ox Talisman. Jackie looked at the Talisman in his hands, and saw that it was the Dragon Talisman.

"Alright, five more to go…" Jackie sighed.

Shendu chuckled and activated the Talisman he hadn't used up to this point. The Snake Talisman. With it, Shendu was invisible.

"Well, Chan… The next time you will see me, it will be the moment that you die. I shall ENJOY this…" Shendu's chuckles turned into cackles, and then there was dead silence.

"W-Where could he be?" Chow asked, shocked.

Ratso scratched his head and nodded.

"Yeah… How're we supposed to fight what we can't see…?"

Finn grimaced and put his hands in his pockets.

"Well… We wait. And hope that Shendude lets his guard down…"

A growling could be heard, and Shendu's voice spoke up again.

"I can still hear you… and I am tired of you humans disrespecting me…"

Jackie's eyes widened, and somehow he just knew that Shendu was behind him. Jackie whipped around and activated the Dragon Talisman. Shendu became visible, and the dragon was knocked on his back, with a hole in his chest. Jackie wasted no time, like always, and hopped on top of Shendu's stomach, after pocketing the Dragon Talisman. With both hands, he pulled out two Talismans. Taking a look at his latest prizes, Jackie saw they were the Ox and Snake Talismans. Shendu's invisibility advantage was no longer a concern, and the same went for the super strength advantage, seemingly.

Shendu growled deeply, and Jackie quickly got off of Shendu's chest. Jackie handed the Dragon, Snake, and Ox Talismans to Ratso.

"Your turn. Get these to Uncle, and hurry. Now that Shendu just has the Rabbit and Dog Talismans to use as weapons against us, we are very close to ending this." Jackie whispered and turned his attention back to Shendu, who was now back on his feet.

Shendu roared. That was a very common thing now.

"Chan… No matter how many Talismans you may steal from me, I will always have the edge. I am the Ultimate Evil, and I have vowed to destroy all of Asia. I WILL bring about that destruction. You are but simple humans, and I am an Immortal Dragon. Lo Pei may have made a mockery of me and sealed me in stone for nine hundred years, but that was only a temporary victory."

Jackie narrowed his eyes.

"Well… You are only immortal and super fast now. The playing field is more than even, don't you think…?" Jackie asked.

Shendu cackled and the shadows began to move. Shadowkhan in big numbers appeared in the Courtyard.

"Chan… I am still a dragon. I am far stronger than any human, and I can still breathe fire. In addition, I still have THIS army. The Shadowkhan. If you believe that the playing field is even, you are sorely mistaken."

Jackie balled his hands into his fists and continued to glare at Shendu.

"Fine. Let's put your theory to the test. You will lose, I will see to it!" Jackie yelled.

Ratso, meanwhile, had gone off to put the Dragon, Snake, and Ox Talismans with the rest of the Talismans that they had acquired. Finn told him everything while Shendu and Jackie exchanged words. He was back just as the battle was getting intense again. He was surprised that the Shadowkhan were present.

Finn, Chow, Tohru and his mother took on the Shadowkhan, because Shendu would not let them interfere with his battle with the spiritual descendant of his most despicable foe. Ratso, on the other hand, was able to give assistance to Jackie. He was tuckered out, but he would do all that he could to help save the world.

Ratso yanked on Shendu's tail, and the dragon howled. The hole in his chest was painful enough, but now a human had enough gall to pull on his tail? The impudence!

Shendu whipped around, and that was enough for Jackie to go 'fishing' again. Jackie pulled out the Rabbit Talisman and leaped off of the dragon's back, because Shendu whipped around again. Shendu swiped at Chan with his claws, but with the Rabbit Talisman, Jackie was hard to swipe at. Jackie was relieved he wouldn't need to make so much of an effort to run anymore, but that didn't make the battle any easier. Shendu was getting riled up, and he had begun to order his Shadowkhan to stop Chan from moving about.

"SHADOWKHAN! Cease battle with Chan's allies and bring Chan to me! Immediately!" Shendu cried.

Before numerous Shadowkhan descended upon him, Jackie used the Rabbit Talisman's speed to slide underneath Shendu's legs, again, and swipe within Shendu's body for a Talisman. Sure enough, he snagged one more, and it was the Dog Talisman.

Jackie smiled and pocketed both Talismans. Now all that was left to retrieve was the Rat Talisman, and it would all be over for Shendu. One Talisman kept him alive and moving, and that was the only Talisman to nab. Unfortunately, the Shadowkhan had caught up to Jackie, and there was one Shadowkhan each holding his two arms. Jackie's allies – Tohru and his mother, the aides, and even Section 13 personnel who were now regaining consciousness and returning to the battlefield – tried to fight off the Shadowkhan and get to Jackie, but the Shadowkhan were multiplying, and the situation was becoming grim.

By the time Jackie was brought in front of Shendu again, the Shadowkhan manhandling him dug into Jackie's pockets and retrieved the two most recent Talismans that Jackie had stolen. It was obvious to Jackie, now that he was without the Dog Talisman, Shendu was a lot more ragged and out of breath. The hole in his chest probably wasn't helping, either.

"Jackie Chan… No human has come so close to defeating me than you… With the exceptions of Lo Pei and HIM… But tonight, I have won. You have lost."

On the other side of the Courtyard, Valmont noticed these events taking place. He and Captain Black were STILL going at it, but both were about at the same level of energy. Upon the Shadowkhan capturing Jackie, Valmont frowned.

"Uh-oh…" Valmont said, not stating anything else.

Captain Black thought it was some cheap trick to make him look away. However, when his fist successfully connected with the Englishman's jaw and said Englishman was knocked over so easily, Captain Black KNEW something was up.

Turning around, Black saw Shadowkhan manhandling Jackie, and Shadowkhan keeping the rest of the Chans back. Black knew he was too far away to do anything, and that the end was likely near for his dear friend.

"Jackie… no…" Captain Black sank to his knees and stared at the scene that unraveled in front of him.

In a distant corner of the Courtyard, Jade was crying. They had extracted eleven Talismans from the looks of things, and now it was all over. Now Shendu was winning. Jade looked up at Uncle's face, and saw that he was crying, too.

"There is nothing that we can do now…Jackie has been caught, and he had extremely bad luck when going for the Rat Talisman…"

Jade hung her head. However, when she brought her head down, she noticed the beaker containing the Talisman Extraction Potion poking out of Uncle's pocket.

"… No, there is one thing we can do… One thing that I can do…" Jade smirked.

Despite the size of the hole in his chest, Shendu was still standing. His breathing was very ragged. But other than that, Shendu seemed fine.

"Well, Jackie Chan… So ends your resistance. I will not gloat anymore. Doing so seems to give you opportunity to resist even more. But know this: You WERE a gallant warrior. I despise that… All resistance shall be crushed, and you are just one example that will be set in the ages to come…

Shendu paused and growled.

"Enough. I have said all that I have wanted to say. Now comes your demise, Jackie Chan. Farewell…"

Jade hopped on Shendu's back and reached in with the little bit of Extraction Potion that was on her right hand. The Demon's eyes widened, and he craned his neck to look at his back, only to find Jade there.

"Little Jade Horner… pulled out a Rat!" Jade beamed and hopped off of the dragon.

Shendu screamed and raised his arms angrily.

"W-WHAT? NO!" Shendu howled. He reverted back to being a circular stone statue, but his Shadowkhan remained. He hissed with his light statue voice, "Not yet. Shadowkhan… Show them no mercy! I demand to have my Rat Talisman returned to me immediately!"

The Shadowkhan complied. The two holding Jackie dropped him and ran for Jade with killing intent. Jade backed up quickly and made a run for it. Soon, all the Shadowkhan were on her tail, and their numbers were growing. They were gaining on her, and Jade eventually tripped on a crack. Jade clutched the Rat Talisman as her very life and all the life in Asia depended on it, and the Shadowkhan hurried to pry it from her. Eight Shadowkhan were piled on top of her, and many others stood nearby, ready for one of the eight to succeed and pass the Rat Talisman to them. However…

"Yu Mo Gui Gwui Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwui Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwui Fai Di Zao!" Uncle chanted.

The Shadowkhan piled on Jade dissipated as a light green pulse of light blasted them, and the other Shadowkhan immediately surrounding Jade directed their gazes to Uncle, only to be blasted themselves. Uncle made his way over to Jade and formed a barrier of protection of sorts around Jade by chanting his mantra and shooting Shadowkhan that advanced toward her.

Shendu raged and blew fire.

"How long do you plan to resist me? I am the Ultimate Evil! You CANNOT defeat me! Shadowkhan! I order ALL Shadowkhan to be here at once!" Shendu bellowed.

The shadows were soon very full. Shadowkhan were quickly materializing en masse, and there seemed to be no end to them. Ratso made his way over to Jackie.

"Uh-oh… You think Unc can hold all of 'em off, Mr. Chan?" Ratso asked.

Jackie shook his head and grimaced.

"No… There are far too many. Eventually, they will come up from behind him and…" Jackie couldn't finish that line of thought. He continued with a new line of thought, however. "If we had a great, destructive power, we might be able to blast many of them… Maybe…"

Ratso dug into his jacket pocket and nervously chuckled.

"Ehe… Uh… Well… I was holding onto this for emergencies like this, so…" Ratso held out the Dragon Talisman and nervously grinned. Jackie's eyes bulged.

"Are you serious? What would've happened, if the Shadowkhan had gotten ahold of you?" Jackie smacked his forehead and sighed. "Oh, never mind… Point is, we CAN end this now…"

Ratso quirked an eyebrow as Jackie took the Dragon Talisman.

"Huh…?"

Jackie, with Dragon Talisman in hand, looked down on Shendu.

"Well, you were right, Shendu…It is over. But it is over for you. You have plagued humanity for centuries, and now I am putting an end to you once and for all."

Shendu hissed and spewed fire.

"You don't scare me, Chan… I am…" Shendu stopped. He remembered he no longer possessed the Dog Talisman.

Jackie smirked as the old dragon finally realized what he was getting at.

"Yes… You WERE immortal, Shendu… But now you are not. You are just a statue, and statues can be broken. Farewell, Shendu… Know that this is for harming my family and for threatening Asia!"

Jackie activated the Dragon Talisman, and a great, fiery blast hit Shendu's stone body, blowing it to smithereens.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Shendu shrieked.

Upon their controller's demise, the Shadowkhan dispersed and sank back into the shadows. Jackie heaved a sigh of relief and dropped the Dragon Talisman. The two Shadowkhan that had been holding him earlier dropped the Dog and Rabbit Talismans and sank back into the shadows.

Tohru, Tohru's mother, Finn, Chow, and Ratso were relieved. Jade looked up after Uncle ceased chanting, and Uncle appeared slightly troubled. Captain Black, as far away as he was, saw Jackie blow Shendu to smithereens, and he was immensely relieved.

"Go Jackie…" Captain Black murmured. He failed to notice Valmont had disappeared.

Just when everyone was about to celebrate and have a hootenanny, the Palace began to come down around them.

"Bad day…" Jackie breathed. He didn't know that the Palace would reduce itself to dust, and no one else knew that, either. They all made a beeline for the exit. Amidst the chaos, Jade dropped the Rat Talisman and dashed past Uncle.

Tohru sat his mother on his left shoulder and scooped Uncle up in his arms as soon as Uncle was within reaching distance. Uncle objected, because he didn't feel winded at all, but Tohru stubbornly held him and ran.

The first group out of the Courtyard was Captain Black and his Section 13 personnel. They forced the Ice Crew to come with them, and lugged the still-unconscious Hak Foo out of the decaying Palace. Then came Finn, Ratso, and Chow, who were very winded after all that fighting and running, and Jade right behind them. Jackie was second-to-last, and Tohru, with his mother still on his shoulder and Uncle still in his big arms, came last, of course. Once they were clear of the quickly decaying Palace, they jogged up the hill and stopped, knowing that they were safe now.

Once the Palace completely reverted back to being dust, fireworks in Hong Kong began to go off. The Chans and Section 13 relaxed after the first 'BANG!' and just watched the lightshow. Happy that all was well, Jackie sighed and smiled at Uncle and Jade, who were immediately beside him now.

"Happy New Year, Jade! Happy New Year, Uncle! Ow!" Jackie rubbed his head after receiving another two-fingered slap from Uncle.

"Why did you DESTROY the Demon? Uncle did not say to DESTROY the Demon!" Uncle screamed and stomped his feet.

Jackie grumbled and rubbed his arm.

"W-Well, Uncle… the Shadowkhan were on us! We risked losing, if we didn't destroy Shendu! He would've destroyed all of Asia, single-handedly!"

Uncle growled and crossed his arms.

"Yin and Yang are now unbalanced! Now a greater, STRONGER Evil will surface because Shendu was destroyed! We must be ready!" With that, Uncle finished chastising his nephew. He understood that they were outnumbered, and that Shendu threatened to regain his life and destroy them all, but there HAD to be a better way, or so Uncle thought.

Jackie groaned and walked over to Captain Black, who was rubbing his eyes and massaging his own head.

"So… Did you manage to capture the Dark Hand, Captain Black…?" Jackie questioned.

Uncle Black shrugged and motioned to the Ice Crew and the STILL unconscious Hak Foo, who were being guarded by every single Section 13 agent present.

"Well… we got most of them. Valmont got away, but that was my fault. There's not much he can do on his own, so I think I'll leave him to the Chinese authorities. Oddly enough, he's a wanted man in China, particularly Hong Kong, as well. I'll call it a victory because we destroyed a demonic dragon and captured the only cronies he has left."

Jackie nodded in understanding and put a reassuring hand on Captain Black's shoulder.

"Well, I'm sorry Valmont slipped away… Still, you're right. Tonight's a night to celebrate. Why not stay the night here in Hong Kong...? I'm sure we can find a hotel for you and your men."

Captain Black shook his head and looked at the ground.

"Can't, I'm afraid… We've gotta rush these guys back to San Fran…" Black jabbed a thumb at the Enforcers and Hak Foo. "But… You're welcome to stay. I'll be sure to send a jet back to come and pick you guys up. Just say when."

Jackie nodded and bowed.

"Thank you. We couldn't have won without you, Captain Black."

Captain Black chuckled and patted Jackie's shoulders.

"I'm sure you would've managed… You're a dragon slayer, my friend… Now, if you'll excuse me…" Captain Black walked over to his agents and started to talk about plans of making their way back to San Francisco…

The Chans celebrated the rest of Chinese New Year's at Jade's parents' residence. They made sure to enjoy themselves, and introduce the 'extended' family – Finn, Ratso, Chow, Tohru and his mother. Jade's parents seemed pleased that Jade was in such good company.

However, while the Chans celebrated in Hong Kong, Valmont remained at the site of Shendu's Palace, and came out minutes after Section 13 took off with his henchmen. He was horrified to learn that the Treasure had turned to dust, just like the rest of the Palace.

Valmont grumbled and kicked the Dark Hand's transport. He couldn't fly it on his own, and he wasn't about to go to Hong Kong and attempt anything. No, he was a wanted man there, and they'd ID him in no time.

Valmont sank to his knees.

"Blast…" Valmont cursed and punched the dust he sat on. Suddenly, he spotted Talismans lying about. The Rat, Dragon, Dog, and Rabbit Talismans were close by. Valmont smirked. "Hmm… This should make up for that Treasure…"

Valmont chuckled and went about picking the Talismans up and searching for the other eight Talismans…

- Far Away, in a Candlelit Room -

"… Bring him in."

A pair of wooden doors opened, and a hunchbacked man donning a black cloak and conical straw hat entered the candlelit room. His cloak concealed the lower half of his face, and he appeared very strong due to his size, despite the hunchbacked appearance. When he walked, a mysterious metal clanging could be heard.

"It's about time… I DON'T like to be kept waiting…" The aged man snapped in a deep voice. He had emphasized this very much so when speaking with Specter on the matter of meeting with this group of Wizards. He looked around the room and at each member of this secret society individually.

Teku bowed respectfully and smirked as he sat down and crossed his right leg over his left in his chair at the group's table.

"My condolences, Master Xie. The Jyutlong have been… rather busy, lately. But we are honored to have a Master such as you grace us with your presence. It took a lot of convincing on your part to get this far, to meet with us. We are reluctant to even consider your membership. So, please… tell us. What can you bring to the Jyutlong?"

Lin and Mallah stood at Teku's right and left respectively. They had their arms crossed and appeared neutral enough. Specter stood off in a corner, silently observing. He was the lookout. Even though it was doubtful that an intruder would walk in, it was possible Master Xie could get violent, and it was his job to teleport the old Wizard out, if it came to that, though Specter very much wanted to get violent if Master Xie did. Specter hadn't been able to express himself for sometime, he was forced to be one of the more stoic and 'mature' members. But due to the years of suppressing his original personality, this resulted in Specter having two personalities: A nice, mature personality, and one that was more… violent, and obsessed with 'art'. Specter possessed dissociative identity disorder, in other words, but this was used to the Jyutlong's advantage, oddly enough.

After an extended period of silence, Master Xie spoke.

"… You all know who I am and have heard the rumors surrounding me, no doubt. But know this: I am willing to give your 'modern Magic' a chance, because I am genuinely curious. 'Knowledge is power.'"

Teku rubbed his chin and frowned.

"That's all fine… But what can YOU bring to the Jyutlong…? If all you know is ancient tricks…"

Master Xie narrowed his eyes at Teku and snarled.

"Do NOT interrupt me… As I was saying, knowledge is power. Allow me to join, and I can teach you things that not even Daolon Wong knows. Spells that only I have knowledge of. I can help strengthen the Jyutlong… No one is best at everything, and I can help train you all in areas that you lack. Aside from training, I am an experienced warrior. Again… If you are anywhere near as good as you claim, Jyutlong… You have heard of me."

Lin raised an eyebrow.

"Can you PROVE you're as good as the stories say…?"

Master Xie growled.

"I am willing to be put to the test. Tell me when and where, and I will not be late…"

Teku tapped his right index finger against his left temple.

"… We will think about it, Master Xie… You may prove to be an invaluable ally. We will contact you again very soon with our decision. In the meantime, we have one more task…"

Master Xie sounded genuinely curious as he asked, "What task…?"

Teku reached beneath his gray cloak and into his gray suit and pulled out a blue, oddly-shaped box. It had green markings on the top and bottom.

"The last package must be delivered… The Panku Box."

**Okay… That's a wrap for Season One… Hope you enjoyed it, because there's a lot more to come. Planning for Season Two is underway, and it's shaping up to become an exciting Season… **

** … And now for the bad news. See, ever since I began pouring effort into this Story again, I've been pouring little time and effort into my real life. As crazy as it sounds, this Story has become… my life, to put it one way. I'm going to be rectifying that this February, because I'm missing out on another semester of school… Last semester was 'excusable' because I had moved, and was in no shape to move a second time, into a dorm room. I probably could've found work if I tried harder than I did, so I'll be applying for jobs and scholarships like mad this month… Hopefully come March, there won't be so many scholarships to fill out, and I can start churning out updates again… Albeit at this speed, most likely. I'm not about to let this take over my life again, not when I'm jobless. I should be in college.**

** But don't take this the wrong way and blame yourselves – I'm not blaming you guys. I take all the credit, 'cause I'm the writer, and I'm the one who got obsessive over updating this… You guys deserved these updates, and I'm happy to have completed Season One. We're a fifth of the way through JCA: A now… However, I need to start having a life again, outside of this, and then I'll come back. Writing's a delight, but my writing's starting to feel bland to me… Maybe this break will be good. I won't take another year to update, I promise. Jamey won't let that happen… Ehe.**

** Anyway… Mailbag Time!**

** nightmaster000: You're still enjoying this, good… Not sure about Jade. She's playing significant roles, I guess, but… hmm. I don't know if I can answer that question. Haha. Not at this point in time.**

** Alana Fox: Good to see you're enjoying this, too… Sorry, the Ice Crew did NOT do much this Chapter… They make up for that next Season, methinks. This Chapter was... fun.**

** D.J. Scales: Hmm… Not much to say, 'cause we talked. Hope you enjoyed Season One's three-part finale.**


	14. The Greater Evils

**Alright, guys… Here's your last update for a while. If you need more details, I've added some to my Profile. So rather than bore you with that and apologize for the lateness of this update – I am sorry, but I can't help it if time gets away from me, and I have so much more to do, such as sorting out college – I'll just skip right to the Chapter. This was fun to write, as Jamey contributed a fair amount to this one… But I contributed my fair share, too. Later on, Jamey may get his own Episode to write for, but more details on that later. **

**I hope you enjoy. Please feel free to Review – we won't ignore you. We appreciate all you readers. ~Yaxon**

- ? -

"Long ago, in an ancient age, eight Demon Sorcerers appeared. Humanity did not know what to do with the Demon Sorcerers, so humanity mingled with the eight Demon Sorcerers, and, for a time, peace reigned. However, it soon became known that the Demon Sorcerers did not wish to live peacefully with humanity, and humanity warred against the Demon Sorcerers for decades. Until finally, eight Immortals rose up and sealed the eight Demon Sorcerers away, and the one and only key to unlocking the Sorcerers' prisons was left on the human side. The Sorcerers vowed that they would return to seek vengeance on humanity, but the vow never came to pass. And so, cohabitation between humanity and Demons ceased, with the humans being free, and the Demons being locked away for eternity…

Teku closed the book he had been reading and smirked.

"Hmph… A quaint tale, wouldn't you agree?"

All members of the Jyutlong nodded in agreement.

"So, it is our job to pen the next Chapter, no…?" Mallah asked, knowing the answer already.

Teku stood up and donned his cloak.

"Yes… It is time for the eight Demons to finally have their revenge…"

Teku held up the Panku Box and laughed…

- At the Helm's Fish Cannery -

Valmont frowned at his reflection in the window of his third hideout in only a month. He went from his posh office complex to an abandoned factory, and now to this, a fish cannery. At least here, everything was working, so it was a step up from the factory. Unfortunately, his luck as of late has been horrid.

He got caught trying to steal Shendu's Lost Treasure of Chin Cheung inside his Palace, and was then forced to fight Section 13 alongside his Enforcers to keep them from assisting Chan as he fought the dragon Sorcerer. In the end, Shendu was stripped of his Talismans and blasted back into medieval China by Chan. Shendu's Palace crumbled to the ground, taking the Lost Treasure with it, and Valmont escaped capture while his minions were arrested.

So, no treasure whatsoever, but in this situation, there WAS a reward for his work with Shendu.

He turned around, and looked at what he had brought back from Hong Kong. Shendu's twelve Talismans, all lying on a crate in the room. They were his and his alone.  
Much better than a Silver Medal.

The Englishman smirked, and walked over to the Talismans, standing over them.

"At least I can thank you, Shendu, for leaving your most valuable possessions behind for me to make use of. Never mind all of those goons I have lost to Section 13. They can wither away in prison for all I care. As long as I have the Talismans, neither Section 13 nor Chan can stand up to me."

He gave a dark chuckle, and picked up the Snake Talisman, turning invisible in the room.

He laughed.

- At Uncle's Rare Finds -

"Jaccckkkiiieee! Why do we have to leave Section 13? I don't WANT to go back to Uncle's!" Jade whined, as she and Jackie Chan walked down the street to Uncle's Rare Finds.

Jackie looked at her, and answered, "Why do we need to be in Section 13 any longer? The whole Talisman thing is over with. I have to get back to my real life."

Jade put her hands on her hips and retorted, "Yeah, the Talismans! We never recovered them from Shendu's Palace! Don't you think we should have checked over the place to get them?"

Jackie rolled his eyes at his niece's persistence. He said, with a slightly exasperated sound, "The Talismans were buried with the palace. No one will ever touch those things again."

Jade then asked, "What about Valmont? He got away."

Jackie responded, "But we got his goons. He is all that is left of the Dark Hand. Captain Black is the one that needs to worry about him now."

They reached the door to the shop, and Jackie walked in.

"Jaaackiiieee. So nice to see you!" yelled Uncle, as he walked to the door.

"We are moving back in, Uncle!" cried Jackie. The response he got was a strike to the forehead, with an "Ow!" to go with it.

"Then Tohru will have nowhere to sleep in here!" said Uncle. Tohru, along with the aides, was in the backroom, and overheard Uncle yelling. They all turned towards the door, and gave "sorry" looks.

Jackie groaned. Jade decided to act like a wise-guy and said to him. "Oops. Overlooked that detail, Uncle Jackie. Oh well… Guess we WILL have to stay in Section 13 after all."

Jackie did a face palm, and turned to her and said, "No. We will find someplace else to live. I do not want to stay in Section 13 any longer." He threw his arms up, and then said, "My trouble with Magic, thugs, and Demons is over!"

- In the Demon Netherworld -

A pair of ghostly red eyes glowed in the empty void that was the Demon Netherworld. The spirit form of Shendu muttered to himself, "Once I make Jackie Chan pay, I will tear that buffoon Valmont to pieces!"

A crack of lightning frightened the spirit dragon, causing him to stop speaking. The booming voice of Tchang Zu, the Thunder Demon, rang in his ears.

"First, you must pay for your own treachery, brother." He spat out the last word of that sentence with contempt.

A demonic mermaid, Bai Tsa, the Water Demon, swam up behind Shendu, and looked him in the face as she said, "It is time for you to endure," she paused, then finished slowly, "eternal torment."

Shendu floated away from his sister, yelling in fear and shock, "T… Torment? Eternal?"

A red robed demon with long black hair, a long tongue, and four arms hovered towards him from behind. The Moon Demon, Tso Lan, then spoke to Shendu as well.

"To punish you for betraying us, Shendu. You chose to spend your time ruling China."

A batty demon, Hsi Wu the Sky Demon, then flew past Shendu, shouting with anger, "While we had to float and fly around this pit with absolutely nothing to do!"

A frog-like being known as Xiao Fung the Wind Demon leaped onto the rock Shendu was closest to at that point, and mocked, "No wind, no air, there is nothing in this realm to keep us entertained, Shendu."

Xiao Fung leaped away, and a huge burly demon called Dai Gui the Earth Demon took his place on that rock, and hammered his fist down on to it, breaking off a piece and startling Shendu, again.

"You didn't even try to attempt to release us!"

Shendu looked at Dai Gui in the eyes. He stared back at him, his own eyes narrowed in anger and interest.

Shendu weakly replied, "I… I was getting ready to start the quest to release you all, but a warrior named Lo Pei revolted against me and-"

"We all know that is an egregious lie!" yelled the last of the demons, towering behind Dai Gui. This demonness was the largest of all of them, and went by the name of Po Kong, the Mountain Demon.

"You just want Earth all to yourself, don't you, Shendu?" the gargantuan Demonness bellowed.

Shendu was then showered with ice cold water from Bai Tsa, who then asked of him, "You can't even be bothered to let me have my precious seas on Earth while you demonstrate your tyranny over land? You really need to learn to share something, Shendu."

Shendu shuddered as he recovered from the cold water. Once he could think again, he said, "I… I can try to free you now, if you let me."

Tchang Zu crossed his arms, and answered, "And how will you accomplish that? The doors to this realm must be opened from the other side."

Hsi Wu added, "The side where the humans dwell."

Shendu nodded in acknowledgement, before continuing himself, "I am aware of that. But I am a spirit now, so I can cross back to that side and possess any human I wish. I will then proceed to unlock those doors that keep you in here and let you out into the world yourselves, if you allow me passage..."

- At a Wells Fargo Bank -

An explosion rocked the San Francisco street. Smoke billowed from a freshly made hole in the side of a bank, and Valmont emerged with several bags of loot hovering behind him. Valmont cackled.

"Too easy! I've already got enough to make a fine base of operations, having looted five banks thus far! And NO sign of Mon Capitan! I'm disappointed…"

Police cars swarmed the area and screeched to a halt. A Police Chief with a megaphone shouted at Valmont.

"FREEZE! You have the right to…"

Valmont scoffed and aimed the Rooster Talisman at the police, raising all of them in the process.

"Blah, blah, blah… You authority-type are always the same… Where's the Good Captain when you need sport…? HE knew that words got you nowhere…" Valmont muttered to himself. Then he swung down the hand with the Rooster Talisman in it, and all the police cars exploded upon contact with the street again. Valmont chuckled darkly as the sound of screams flooded the streets. "No one can stop me now, not even…"

- At Section 13 -

"JAAACKIIIEEE… Why can't we stay here? It's free, we don't have to play Section 13 a dime!" Jade whined and offered up. Jackie just shook his head.

"You'll finally experience what a normal life is like, Jade… Once you experience that, you won't want an action-packed one." Jackie chuckled at the thought of Jade living a normal life. … He'd be darned if he couldn't make that happen starting that day.

Jade snorted and growled at the same time – a fascinating sound. She was sitting in her corner of the room, arms crossed, and stuff still all unpacked.

"Well, I'm not going. YOU go and live in some apartment…" Jade pouted. She knew it was an idle threat.

Jackie shook his head and put his hands on his hips.

"Jade… Your parents asked me to look after you, not Section 13. If you don't start packing, there will be…"

Jade still didn't move, and she gave Jackie a defiant glare.

"…"

Jackie sighed and dropped his arms.

"… consequences." Jackie knew THAT was an idle threat, because Jade always found some way to make punishment 'fun', whether that punishment was being grounded for some period of time or just 'no TV'. Turning back to packing his things, Jackie resolved to pack Jade's things and drag Jade out of Section 13, if he had to.

"Jackie!" Captain Black called as he put his head in Jackie's room.

Jackie looked up from packing his bags, and Jade's eyes fell on Captain Black the minute poked his head into the room. Jackie blinked.

"What is it Captain Black?"

Captain Black stepped into the room and put one hand in his pocket.

"Got a robbery in progress… It's Valmont."

Jackie blinked again and appeared confused.

"Uh… Good luck?"

Captain Black sighed and shook his head. He said, "Valmont's packing heat. … Talisman heat."

Jackie grimaced at the thought of the Talismans being abused again. Captain Black walked over to Jackie and placed the hand that wasn't in his pocket on Jackie's shoulder.

"I know you want to get back to real life, my friend… But I need you, Jackie… One last time."

Jackie sighed exasperatedly, but nodded in consent.

"… One last time."

Jade pumped her fist into the air and cheered.

"Alright! We're finally gonna get the Talismans and keep 'em! Let's-"

Jackie and Captain Black both turned to Jade and pointed at her simultaneously while stating, "NO."

"Jade, Valmont will be too dangerous to be around this time. If he possesses all twelve Talismans, then only I can take him on. You must stay here, where you are safe."

Jade groaned and pouted.

"Aww…"

With that, Jackie and Captain Black rushed off to battle Valmont. Jade, meanwhile, waited a few minutes, and then dashed out of the room herself, bent on alerting Unc and the Aides…

- In the Demon Netherworld -

"So, we all understand the battle plan, brothers and sisters? I am most humbled to be your servant now. My destruction means you will take my place as the Ultimate Evil in the human world now." crowed Shendu. The faces on his siblings did not change, though.

"So, shall we begin?" he added.

The Demons all held out their hands, and blasted him with yellow energy. The spirit dragon squirmed from the tingling sensation of being hit with this spell.

"Wh… What did you do to me?"

Bai Tsa answered, "You think we can trust you, after you abandoned us? We need to keep you on a chain to make sure you don't do anything stupid again."

Xiao Fung then told Shendu, "That spell we just cast on you will bind you to the human you possess. It will stay that way until we are all free."

Hsi Wu flew up, and giggled at him.

"Hahaha. A little insurance policy so we will know EXACTLY where you are."

Tso Lan finished the briefing with, "In the event we deem it necessary to resume your eternal torment."

Shendu replied to all of that with, "Very well. I will go along with your requirements. I will be sure to choose the right vessel for me. And there is only one who fits that quota."

He narrowed his eyes darkly.

"Jackie Chan…"

- At Another Well's Fargo Bank –

Valmont burst through the backside of yet another Well's Fargo. They were numerous in California, and Valmont was thinking of hitting each and every one and then moving higher up on the 'Money Chain'. If Section 13 was going to be fashionably late, why should he be in a hurry to get to the big heists? He had all the time in the world with the twelve mystical Talismans of Shendu.

Valmont sighed dejectedly and paused mid-hover outside of the bank. Shaking his head and looking down at the sidewalk, Valmont lamented, "It's just not the same without Chan or Black… I mean, now that I'm all-powerful, I WANT a challenge. What's wrong with me? I should be HAPPY that things are going smoothly… that I'm getting back every cent that was taken from me…"

Valmont landed on the sidewalk and dropped the cash that had been hovering behind him.

"I should seek them out, test my power…" Valmont shook his head again and smacked a palm to his forehead. "Of course, I have no idea where Section 13 is located, or where Jackie Chan lives… My lackeys know where Chan is, and they're most likely rotting away in Section 13…

Valmont crossed his arms and shook his head wildly.

"No, no, no… I'm done bailing those imbeciles out. From now on, I fly solo. And I do it with the Talismans. End of story."

Valmont took a deep breath and levitated into the air once more, money and all. However, just when he decided to do that, tanks, vans, and helicopters could be heard approaching. Valmont visibly brightened at the sounds. Valmont cried out joyfully, "FINALLY!"

Moments later, those tanks, vans, and helicopters came into view. Valmont smirked as he spotted Captain Black driving a van, and Jackie sitting in the shotgun. Valmont said not a word, but he found himself getting increasingly ecstatic, even when some other agents spoke through megaphones and told Valmont to stand down.

Jackie saw the floating Valmont, and wished that the report about the magical Talismans had been false.

"Bad day…" Jackie muttered. One thing was certain: With Valmont holding the Talismans, things were about to get ugly.

Captain Black shook his head and opened his door.

"Like I said, my friend… We need you. Now, c'mon. With our teamwork, we can take down Valmont once and for all."

Jackie paled a little, still thinking about the deadly weapons Valmont had at his disposal. Yet Jackie put on a determined face and nodded.

"I hope you're right… We are San Francisco's only hope… Let alone the entire world's…"

Jackie and Captain Black got out of the van. No sooner had they gotten out, than heat beams and combustion had begun to rain down on the vehicles of Section 13, with maniacal laughter coming from Valmont.

"Oh… YES! BURN! SUFFER FOR WHAT YOU PUT ME THROUGH!" Valmont bellowed and cackled as random tanks and vans started blowing up.

Captain Black called out to all his men with his megaphone.

"All agents! Take down Valmont, no matter what it takes! Don't let up, he's packing dangerous-"

Valmont continued his barrage and interrupted Captain Black's commands.

"Oh, I think they GET IT, Captain Black… Do shut up." Valmont snickered as he managed to get a scowl and growl from Black.

Jackie took this time to make his way through the vehicles not being assaulted by Valmont, and to the building behind Valmont. Leaping up and running along the side, Jackie pushed away from the wall and lunged at Valmont, who was in the air. Valmont thought he had been ready to stop Chan, but it turned out he mixed up the Tiger Talisman with the Rooster Talisman, and so got tackled to the ground, instead of stopping Jackie mid-lunge. In the process, the bags of money ceased levitating, and fell back on the sidewalk. The Rooster, Pig, Dragon, and Tiger Talismans went flying after Valmont and Chan hit the pavement.

Valmont cursed and attempted to kick Chan off, but Jackie instead grabbed the Dog Talisman dangling around Valmont's neck and tore it away from him.

"Valmont, you're making this too easy." Jackie smiled and laughed a little, and then leaped off of Valmont.

Valmont cursed again, and got to his feet.

"Oh, I'm 'making this too easy', am I? Well, allow me to step up my game a bit, old chap…" Valmont said ominously. Seconds later, Jackie was on his back, and the Dog Talisman was back in Valmont's hands. Apparently, Valmont used the Rabbit Talisman to ram into Jackie.

Section 13 agents used this time to gather up the Rooster, Pig, Dragon, and Tiger Talismans, but no sooner than they had, than Valmont used the Rabbit Talisman to collect them from the agents.

"Nice try… But, please, try and be more subtle about it next time." Valmont snickered. Valmont was unaware that Captain Black was really close to him, though, and so, was unexpectedly tackled AGAIN. This time, though, the Rabbit Talisman went flying with the Rooster, Pig, Dragon, Tiger, and Dog Talismans. Valmont seethed and used the Ox Talisman to heft Captain Black off of him. Valmont shook his fists in the air and declared, "ENOUGH!"

Jackie Chan was quick on the draw, though. After securing the Rabbit Talisman, Jackie managed to retrieve all the other Talismans that scattered after that second tackle, and then promptly knocked Valmont into a brick wall with the speed of the Rabbit Talisman, which made Valmont drop the Ox Talisman after the impact. Jackie picked up the Ox Talisman and smirked at Valmont, who gave him the evil eye.

"I don't know, Valmont. Are you sure you can do ANYTHING without your henchmen? I mean, you're losing Talismans left and right. Not exactly making us 'suffer', is it?"

Valmont chuckled and drew another Talisman out of his pocket.

"Well, Chan… I guess all I have to say is, stop monkey-ing around…"

And with that, Valmont zapped Jackie at blank-shot range, and turned Jackie into a monkey with the Monkey Talisman. All the Talismans that Jackie had collected were up for grabs. Again.

Captain Black grabbed the Talisman nearest him, and aimed it at Valmont.

"Valmont… Just surrender. You're outnumbered, and you're running out of mystical trinkets."

Valmont held his forehead back and laughed at Black's poor choice of Talisman to threaten him with.

"Oh, please, Mon Capitan… Threatening me with the Tiger Talisman? It'll keep you balanced, I'll give you that. But… even if it was something you could threaten me with, would you REALLY carry out your threat? If you ask me, I think you're too… CHICKEN!"

Captain Black's eyes widened. He leaped out of the Monkey Talisman's path just as Valmont fired it, which caused a tank to turn into a fairly sizable metal chicken sculpture. Valmont sighed and picked up the Rooster Talisman, which was nearest him, and levitated all the Talismans so that they would all come to him. But, of course, Valmont underestimated Chan, AGAIN. Even as a monkey, Jackie was capable of picking up a Talisman and using it. 'Lucky' for him, the Rabbit Talisman was closest to him, and Jackie used it to snatch back the Monkey and Rooster Talismans, and used the Monkey Talisman to change himself back. Jackie used the Rooster Talisman to levitate Valmont into the air and pin him against the brick wall.

"It's over, Valmont. All you've got left in your pocket is the Horse, Snake, Sheep, and Rat Talismans. You couldn't do anything with those in your current position, and you sure can't do anything without your henchmen. It's OVER!"

Valmont clenched his teeth and screamed. He would not admit defeat. He would get himself out of this situation. Somehow. … He just didn't see a way out, yet.

It was at this time that Shendu's ethereal form materialized into the human world, around the general area where the 'battle' was taking place. Shendu's glowing red orbs spotted Chan pinning Valmont against a brick wall. Shendu giggled with glee. This was too perfect…!

"At last, Jackie Chan… I shall have my revenge…!"

Shendu, with a burst of speed, flew at Jackie Chan. There seemed to be no hindrance to his objective. But at the last moment, Jackie levitated Valmont away from the wall and did a complete three-sixty. Shendu had no time to arc left or right in his flight path, and he screamed angrily when he flew straight into Valmont and unwillingly bonded with him.

Jackie chuckled some, and smiled at Captain Black.

"I think this belongs to you."

Jackie had no idea of what just happened… but he was about to.

Captain Black smiled back and sighed with relief. Captain Black held up a pair of handcuffs for Valmont to see. Valmont currently had his eyes closed, and his face was emotionless.

"For years you've given Section 13 trouble, Valmont… But now, your 'fun time' is finished. We'll have you in a nice, cozy cell back at Section 13, don't you…"

At last Valmont's eyes opened, but they weren't his. They were glowing red eyes. Shendu hissed.

"Enough, insolent human!" And with a breath of fire, Shendu made Captain Black fall over, and proceeded to whip around, mid-levitation, and send a fireball at Jackie.

Jackie cried out, "WAH!" and dropped the Rooster Talisman out of shock as he dodged reflexively to the right. The fireball singed the brick wall. Shendu, now free of the Rooster Talisman's levitation, landed on the ground on Valmont's feet, and collected all his Talismans, after picking up the Rooster Talisman. Jackie recognized the voice coming out of Valmont's mouth, but couldn't believe it.

Shendu declared, "Jackie Chan… There is no doubt that we will meet again… I would enjoy nothing more than to KILL you for ending my reign permanently… But I have more pressing matters. So, I will let you live for the moment. But know this: You will perish if you intend to get in the way of my conquest… Farewell, Jackie Chan…"

With another burst of speed, thanks to the Rabbit Talisman, Shendu, in Valmont's body, flew off, leaving Jackie Chan and Section 13 very confused. Minutes later, Jade showed up with Uncle, the aides, and Tohru. After seeing the devastation, and no sign of Valmont anywhere, Jade whined and stomped her right foot and crossed her arms.

"Aww… Don't tell me we missed the action…"

Uncle and Tohru made their way over to Jackie, while the aides and Jade went over to Captain Black, who appeared completely spooked. And covered in soot.

"Yo, Cap! Why do ya look so… bewildered?" Finn asked innocently enough. Ratso and Chow stood behind Finn, wanting to know the answer to that, too.

Jade exclaimed, "Yeah! If it was 'cause of the Talismans, you shouldn't be so surprised!"

Captain Black shook. His voice was shaky.

"Th… that… wasn't Talisman Magic… Valmont was stripped of all the harmful Talismans, but he still… b… blew fire…"

Jade, Finn, Ratso, and Chow all blinked in astonishment. Jade asked, to make sure.

"Are you serious? Valmont did THIS?" Jade said, motioning to the amount of soot on Captain Black's person.

Captain Black only nodded wearily and didn't say another word.

Uncle and Tohru helped Jackie to his feet. Tohru was the first to speak up.

"Jackie… What happened here? Where is Valmont?"

Uncle frowned.

"And why do you look as if you have seen ghost?"

Jackie continued to blink in astonishment with wide eyes and shook his head, eventually. When he spoke, there was a certain amount of disbelief in his voice, yet there was just as much certainty.

"Uncle… I think Shendu has returned."

Uncle's eyes widened, and Tohru appeared shocked.

- At the Helm's Fish Cannery –

Shendu furiously kicked the door open and stormed into Valmont's latest abode.

"HOW did that happen…?" Shendu growled, referring to his mistaken possession of Valmont. It was as if fate mocked him. First, his nemesis destroyed his physical body, and then, in an effort to repay said nemesis, Shendu failed to possess him and got Valmont instead, thanks to that nemesis. Shendu despised failure, but Valmont even moreso.

Just as Shendu was making his way further into the Fish Cannery to think out his next move, Shendu lost his grip on Valmont's body. Valmont's body twitched and Valmont groaned as he regained control. Looking about, Valmont blinked in astonishment.

"Wh-What…? Where am I?" Valmont recognized the surroundings as his latest hideout after staring at them for a while, but the question was… How did he get there? The last thing he remembered was battling the Chans, and then… nothing.

Valmont's eyes widened as he just remembered something important.

"And WHERE is the money…?" Valmont looked about the Fish Cannery once more, but didn't see any loot from his latest raid. Valmont fumed and clenched his hands into fists. "I should have won! I had Chan on the ropes! I KNOW I wouldn't just give up a battle with Chan if I was WINNING it… So just what is going on…?

Valmont walked over to the only mirror he possessed in the Cannery and looked himself over. Maybe he could find some clue in his personage. However, when he looked himself over, nothing looked out of the ordinary on his person. Clothes were intact, flawless. And when he reached his hands into his pockets, he found he still possessed the Talismans, all twelve of them.

"Was the raid all just a dream, then…?" Valmont wondered and rubbed his chin.

"… No. I was standing up, and I KNOW I don't sleep walk…"

Finally, Valmont decided to look at his face in the mirror. It was the only part of his body that he had yet to look at, but Valmont seriously doubted he would find anything out of the ordinary on what he thought was his perfect face. That is, until…

"Oh… Oh no… Oh no. OH NOOO!" Valmont shrieked. In his reflection, he saw not only his face, but Shendu's disembodied spirit head, red eyes piercingly gazing at him, daring him to say another word. However, Shendu didn't have to wait for Valmont's horrified response, because he regained control of Valmont's body. Once Shendu was in control once more, he groaned.

"Oh, great… I was hoping to be in PERMANENT possession of this wretched body, but fate must scorn me further…"

Valmont's body twitched again and Valmont took over again.

"W… What are you DOING inside of me, Shendu? You are SUPPOSED to be DEAD!"

It was at this point that Shendu wished he could roll his eyes. Without taking control again, Shendu replied, "Well, Valmont… It appears we aren't quite done with each other yet. Though I WANTED to possess Chan… YOU got in the way… So now it looks like things have to be done the HARD way, thanks to YOU."

Valmont seethed and punched Shendu's image in the mirror.

"How is it MY fault, you albatross? Everything was all fine until you came back into the picture! I nearly had Chan on his knees, begging for mercy! Then, somehow, you possessed me and made me retreat! Why in the world didn't you destroy Chan when WE had the chance?"

Shendu growled and still did not take back Valmont's body just yet.

"Call me an albatross again, and you will be punished severely! And as for your assertion… You seem to be looking back on that battle with rose-tinted glasses, Valmont… Chan had YOU on the ropes! Or, at least, you scrambling for MY powerful Talismans! You'll be happy to know that I recovered all twelve before retreating…

When Valmont didn't make any sort of reply, Shendu huffed.

"You're welcome. ANYWAY. We have more important matters to attend to, Valmont, namely my brothers and sisters. We need to release them, and I needed a body in order to do that…"

Valmont motioned to himself and stared at Shendu in disbelief.

"So you chose ME? Haven't you ever thought that I'm tired of all this Magic business? Working with you? Sure, I appreciate your leaving behind the Talismans for me to use, but…"

Shendu hissed and made Valmont's body twitch as he forcibly took over again, not being able to take Valmont's constant complaining anymore.

"I didn't choose you, you buffoon! I had chosen Jackie Chan, but he put you in my way! Now we both must suffer. Frankly, you deserve to suffer. If you think I WANTED to leave my Talismans behind for YOU… You are sorely mistaken. Besides… Forget the Talismans. We have more pressing matters, as I've already stated. My brothers and sisters…"

Valmont's body twitched yet again and Valmont blinked.

"Wait… You have brothers and sisters? Why didn't they help you when you had the Dark Hand hunting all over for the Talismans…?"

Shendu narrowed his glowing red eyes at Valmont and hissed.

"They are in limbo, you ignorant human. And besides, even if they were free, they would not have lifted a finger to help me. If nothing else, they would have made me a spirit much faster than Jackie Chan did… Moving along… You will be assisting me in releasing my brethren, whether you like it or not. I have a binding contract with them, and we CANNOT separate. Believe me, if I could separate from you, I would have the instant I set foot in your body…"

Valmont frowned and crossed his arms.

"So, until all your brothers and sisters are let loose, you and I are bodymates…? And how exactly do we go about setting free all these other Demons…?"

Shendu replied, "With the Panku Box, of course… And, yes, we are bodymates. Why?"

Valmont smirked.

"Oh, just wondering…"

Shendu narrowed his red eyes again at Valmont.

"What are you planning now…?"

Valmont punched himself in the gut and winced. Surely Shendu would have felt something…?

"H-How was that, you…?" Valmont couldn't finish his insult, because Shendu forcibly took him over again.

"You do realize that you're only hurting yourself…? Not too many things can hurt me whilst I possess your body… For your insolence, you will be punished…"

And with that, Shendu took possession of Valmont's body and looked for some object to smack Valmont with. After locating a hammer on a nearby table, Shendu swung the hammer at Valmont's head and surrendered control of Valmont's body at the last moment, so Valmont felt the full force of the hammer as it smashed into his forehead. Valmont cried out in agony, dropped the hammer, and clutched his head.

Seething, Valmont raged, "Oh, you are going to PAY…"

And so, a battle comprised of Valmont wounding himself over and over ensued. Shendu delighted in making Valmont suffer, and Valmont was only spurred on to get revenge.

A knocking on the front door caught the two fighting bodymates' attention.

The Englishman growled, and then yelled, "Who is there? I am busy!"

No response came from beyond the door. Now curious as to who would come disturb him now, Valmont stomped over to the door. He pulled it open, and yelled, "I said, who's there?" before seeing there wasn't anyone.

He prepared to slam the door, when he caught sight of some blue object on the ground.

His eyes turned red, and Shendu muttered three words as he stared at the object and smiled.

"The Panku Box."

Shendu's eyes faded, and Valmont did a double-take at seeing the box Shendu wanted.

"Wha? We don't have to go all the way to wherever to get this forsaken piece of junk? Who the heck would take this thing from whatever shrine it was in and leave it outside a dump like this?"

He grunted as Shendu took back control, "Who cares! We have the key to my siblings' freedom! That's what matters right now!"

Valmont grunted as he regained control over his body. He proceeded to reach down and grab the box. As soon as he touched it, though, it emitted some green energy that covered his hands.

Valmont withdrew his hands and yelled from touching the Box. Shendu took back control, and yelled, "Valmont! That hurt! That Box is forged of Good Magic! I cannot touch it!"

Valmont groaned as he regained control. He rolled his eyes, and retorted, "That would have been nice to tell me before I reached for it. Touching that thing was like grabbing an electric fence!"

Shendu made a gleeful chortle before taking control again and searching for something to rake the Panku Box in. Spotting an old unused pipe, Shendu shrugged and deemed it enough to at least get the Box into the Cannery. Getting it off the ground would be a more arduous task. Looking around once more, Shendu spotted a cardboard box sitting in a corner.

"Alright… This will sting. A lot. But it must be done…"

Shendu walked over to the cardboard box and bent down to pick it up, but before he could complete that simple task, Valmont took over again.

"Are you MAD? I TOLD you that touching that thing was like touching an electric fence! I'm NOT touching that thing again, even indirectly!"

Shendu hissed and forcibly took over Valmont's body again.

"Oh, you'll do it, Valmont… My siblings' future rides on this very box, and it is up to us to release them… Insubordination will be punished severely! I will endure the pain, too, so that should give you a LITTLE satisfaction, but do not become complacent…"

When Valmont didn't re-possess his body, Shendu went about collecting the Panku Box. And when the pipe touched the Panku Box, green energy streamed up to Valmont and shocked him. Badly. Shendu hissed in irritation and sped up the process by whacking the Panku Box. Doing so sent him flying backwards, but accomplished what he wanted: The Panku Box was now inside the cardboard box, and that box was even standing upright, now.

Shendu shook Valmont's head and stood up. The first test had been passed, but there was a second one that he had overlooked…

After retaking his body, Valmont blinked and looked down at the Panku Box inside the cardboard box.

"… Do we even know where to start looking for your brethrens' 'Doors'? This is the key, great, but what about the Doors? Where are they?"

Shendu took back over and smacked Valmont's face. He'd forgotten their respective locations over the millennia. However, he had to appear confident, even here. Shendu would NOT allow Valmont to lord this situation over him.

"W-Well… Obviously the Panku Box will show us the way."

Valmont took back over and laughed.

"You don't know where they are, do you? Oh, this is RICH!" After hearing Shendu growl, Valmont coughed and ceased laughing. "… Ahem. But aside from that moot point… How do we even get this thing to show us the way?"

Shendu took back over and was ready with a snappy comeback, when it dawned on him that they really would need assistance.

"… We will need help… Valmont, where are your slaves?"

Valmont took back over and huffed in irritation.

"They're not SLAVES… sometimes I wish they were, but…" Valmont paused and shook his head. "… Section 13 captured them after your short-lived reign came to an end… I was the only one to evade capture. They're likely serving time at Section 13 for their crimes…"

Shendu growled and took back over again.

"Well, we obviously don't know where Section 13 is… at the moment… But the Talismans that were locked up in Section 13 should have left some residual Magic behind… If I can detect even the faintest trace, we should be able to find it..."

Valmont took over one more time.

"And what if you can't find some of that 'residual' Magic? What then?"

Shendu took over Valmont's body yet again and narrowed his glowing red eyes.

"We'll burn that bridge when we get there, Valmont… We're going out. Now."

And without another word, Shendu forced Valmont out into the streets of San Francisco, on a quest to locate Section 13. Unbeknownst to the bodymates, their whole conversation and all their actions had been witnessed by two men.

"They accepted it…" A gruff voice addressed Teku.

Teku nodded.

"Of course they did… Shendu likes having things handed to him on a silver platter…"

A smoother voice replied, "Bah… And he never suspected anything. What a hopeless…"

Teku stopped Specter.

"Enough. We've fulfilled our quota, so let's get back to base. It won't be long before the Demons are released, one by one… And then, it will be our turn. We must prepare."

Specter nodded and teleported himself and his leader back to HQ…

- At Section 13 –

Jackie, Uncle, Tohru, the aides, and Captain Black and a handful of Section 13 agents were in the main room of the government institution, going over what had happened that day, and how to go about dealing with their current predicament. Jade, of course, was also there, against everyone's wishes for her to not be involved, even in the 'planning' stages. They really didn't have a clue as to what to do next, now that Shendu, supposedly, was back.

"Ah, c'mon, guys! Why don't we go Demon Hunting? We're bound to find him, eventually!" Jade exclaimed.

Jackie shook his head.

"Jade… We don't even know where Valmont's current base of operations is, let alone if that is where Shendu would take Valmont first, after returning to the world of the living. We don't even know what Shendu is plotting! It's best to just wait and see if Shendu will make a move somewhere."

Finn quirked an eyebrow.

"What if Valmont makes a move instead, Mr. Chan? Do we even know if Valmont has any sort of possession of his body? Maybe Valmont will take back over, and go back to hittin' banks. It's possible, right?"

Jackie shrugged, but shook his head again.

"We don't even know that, Finn. But I have a feeling that if Valmont DOES have any hold on his body, it is limited. Shendu would probably not even let Valmont tie his own shoe. From what we've seen when those two interacted, it wasn't exactly the best of relationships. Valmont loathed Shendu, and vice versa."

Captain Black sighed.

"Jackie's right. Looking for Valmont now would be pointless. They could be halfway across the world by now, with Shendu possessing Valmont's body. It's a waiting game, now. The minute they make a move, though, we have to be ready."

Chow punched his left hand and crossed his arms.

"And we'll be ready when he does. I'm not gonna be 'late' again. We let you guys down." Chow said, indicating Jackie, Captain Black, and the Section 13 agents that had fought.

Ratso rubbed the back of his head. His voice sounded remorseful.

"Yeah, we're really sorry about that… Unc was lookin' for somethin' to blast Valmont with…"

Uncle snorted and crossed his arms.

"Uncle was not going to fight Talisman-powered Valmont hand-to-hand. And Uncle refuses to be useless in important battle! Ha-cha!"

Jade jumped up and down.

"Grr… C'mon! Let's just go looking for the big, bad Demon! I HATE waiting!"

Jackie shook his head and crossed his arms as he looked down harshly at Jade.

"Jade… You won't be doing anything more. You will be waiting here at Section 13, when Shendu makes a move anywhere. And our decision is final. We won't be doing any 'Demon Hunting', because we don't even know where to begin to look!"

Uncle grinded his teeth together and narrowed his eyes at Jackie.

"Decision NOT final! Uncle hate waiting, as well. Demon could be doing ANYTHING at this moment… Uncle will not allow Demon to bring harm to world again! We have Valmont's men, yes…? Then Uncle says to question men on whereabouts of Valmont! Aiyah!"

Captain Black rubbed his chin and appeared to give the suggestion some thought.

"Well… The Enforcers may not know where Valmont's hideout currently is, but they might be able to think of somewhere that it might be. Although I wouldn't get too excited, they might still be loyal to their boss, too."

Uncle shook a fist and scowled at Captain Black.

"Let Uncle question Enforcers! Uncle will make them talk!"

Captain Black sighed and shrugged.

"What do we have to lose? It's not like Shendu will come to us…"

- Outside of Section 13 -

It didn't take Shendu long to follow the 'trail' of residual Magic left behind by the Talismans that led to Section 13. Once Shendu was positive he had 'bingo', he made his entrance. Literally. A big, gaping hole in the side of the building that housed Section 13 was made after Shendu was done.

The Chans went along with Captain Black to question the Enforcers about 'possible' hideouts, and only Section 13 agents remained behind in the large main room, to go about their daily lives. Everyone's eyes were on Valmont when he made his entrance. Shendu hissed, and the few agents that were easy enough to scare were sent sprinting away like gazelle away from a leopard. The rest who were 'man' enough took out their pistols and aimed them at Valmont.

Black's second-in-command turned to one of the few brave, and said, "Go and inform Captain Black that questioning the Enforcers won't be necessary… Valmont's here."

The agent nodded, and was about to run to inform the Captain, when Shendu stopped him with a fireball dangerously landing right in front of the agent, having heard the little order the second-in-command agent had given.

"That will not be necessary… I will not be here long, as I am here to pick up Valmont's pathetic underlings. If you will be so kind as to direct me to their cells, I will be happy to take them off your hands."

Black's second-in-command, having not been at the battle earlier that day, did not know that Shendu now resided in and shared Valmont's body.

"Valmont… Are you feeling alright…? You're talking like Uncle a little there…"

Shendu hissed.

"I am not the buffoon known as Valmont! I possess his body, true, but I am not the oaf you speak of. I am Shendu, the Fire Demon, and you WILL obey me…"

An agent who was also not at the battle that day spun his index finger around one of his ears and rolled his eyes at Black's second-in-command. Black's second-in-command, having 'met' Shendu before, only shook his head at the agent and looked back at Shendu.

"I'm sorry, Valmont…

Shendu blew fire at the second-in-command, and the man winced at the big stream of flames that could scorch and kill any human. Perhaps several humans. Black's second-in-command nodded nervously and ordered everyone to put down their guns and stand down.

"R-Right… Mr. Shendu, I-I'll take you to those underlings you want… Just please don't harm any of our staff. Please." Black's second-in-command begged.

Shendu wished he could roll his eyes, again, but smiled at the man's pleading voice.

"… I make no promises. Now, take me to the buffoons."

Black's second-in-command nodded again and motioned for Shendu to follow him.

"R-Right this way…"

- At Cell Block A -

"I'm tellin' ya, we don't know nothin'!" Ice shouted as Uncle twisted his ear painfully. "OWWW!"

MC Cobra nodded in agreement, as Uncle had 'asked' Tohru to give him and DJ Fist a big hug. A very painful hug.

"Y-Yeah, man… You captured us, 'member? Valmont got away! We don't know nothin'!"

DJ Fist made a slight growling noise, but remained silent, as usual.

"…"

Captain Black rubbed his chin and looked the Enforcers over one by one.

"You're sure you don't even have the slightest idea of where he'd hide next…?" Black said, not sounding totally convinced.

Hak Foo growled, irritated. He was being held against the wall by the three aides, and Ratso was twisting his arm.

"We said we don't know anything! Black Tiger pleads for mercy…!"

Uncle scowled and harrumphed.

"You must know something…!" Uncle said while twisting Ice's ear even harder, which caused the leader of the Enforcers to cry out in pain even more.

"G-GAH!"

Moments later, Jade, having snuck down even after being warned to NOT come down during the interrogation, tugged on Jackie's sleeve. Jackie was standing outside of the cell, and didn't seem to consider that the Enforcers might know something. They appeared clueless to him.

Looking down at Jade, Jackie groaned just a bit.

"Jade… What did we tell you…"

Jade's eyes were frantic, and she continued to tug on Jackie's sleeve, even after grabbing Jackie's attention.

"Um… Jackie… Valmont's here, and…"

Jackie turned at the sound of a pair of people coming in. One was Black's second-in-command, and the other was… Valmont. Or, Shendu possessing Valmont. Shendu smiled in a very creepy, yet obviously demonic, way.

"Chan… I am here to relieve you of the buffoons. If you would be so kind as to hand them over…"

Jackie raised an eyebrow and stared at Shendu in confusion.

"The Enforcers? What would you possibly want with them?"

Shendu narrowed his eyes at Chan and hissed.

"It is not for you to know, Chan… You are to remain out of my way, remember…? Or do you wish to be destroyed? Hmm? I can do so right now… And your family will join you…"

Jackie's eyes widened, and he shook his hands defensively.

"No, no, no! NO killing!"

Uncle let go of Ice's ear and exited the jail cell.

"If Demon Shendu is willing to destroy us… Why wait…?"

Shendu gave a sick grin with Valmont's body.

"Because I DO enjoy it when pitiful humans plead for mercy before their deaths… It makes my job… worthwhile."

Jade's eyes bulged, and she pointed accusingly at Shendu.

"YOU'RE GONNA KILL US ANYWAY?" Jade screeched.

Valmont looked irritably at Jade, but answered nonetheless.

"Child, of COURSE I will eliminate you all… I can't have any of you standing in the way of my brothers' and sisters' release from limbo. I only hesitate, because I need the buffoons to come with me… Once you surrender them to me, however..." Shendu trailed off, to let his enemies assume the demise that they would endure, when it happens. The sick grin returned to Valmont's facial features. Everyone shuddered, even just a teeny-tiny bit.

Tohru narrowed his eyes at Shendu.

"What makes you think that we will surrender the Enforcers to you…?"

Shendu's red orbs widened in heightened excitement, and he continued to grin.

"Well, Tohru… You don't want this pitiful man…" Shendu grabbed Black's second-in-command by the arms and twisted them uncomfortably behind the man's back.

"… to meet an unfortunate end, do you…? I will not hesitate to break him in two. And even if you continue to defy me after this man's unfortunate end… I will always have more… hostages…" Shendu chuckled as he indicated ANYONE in the room could be a hostage, except for the Enforcers and Hak Foo.

Jackie cringed. He didn't want to just hand Shendu the Enforcers, but Shendu was giving them no choice. Too bad Uncle seemed to think different.

Uncle crossed his arms and scoffed at Shendu.

"You think Uncle will hand over Enforcers, even with hostage situation…? World is more important!"

Captain Black shook his head and made his way over to Jackie's side. He sighed before he surrendered. Black was not in the mood to lose anymore men, having lost a few to Valmont's ballistic assault.

"No, Unc…" Captain Black motioned to his second-in-command. "His life is just as precious as ours, or anyone else's in the world. I will NOT lose another man today…"

Uncle narrowed his eyes and was about to smack Captain Black upside the head.

"Uncle refuses to…"

Jackie shook his head at Uncle.

"Uncle… We have no choice. I don't want to lose anymore comrades, either…"

Uncle growled and was about to retort back that the world was more important, but Shendu cut him off.

"Wise decision, Chan… If you promise to not come after us, perhaps I will spare your miserable lives…" Shendu chuckled darkly as the Enforcers and Hak Foo walked over to and past him.

Jackie crossed his arms and looked at Shendu in contempt.

"Well… You have your 'buffoons'. Will you let us live…?"

Shendu laughed.

"Chan, I have said that it would be foolish to let you all live…

Jackie and everyone else in the room but the Enforcers and Hak Foo looked rightly scared and shocked at even the suggestion of Shendu wiping them all out, here and now. … But Shendu laughed at that, released Black's second-in-command, and continued on.

"… But it would not be fun to destroy you all, before having you meet my dear brothers and sisters… So I will let you all go."

Shendu laughed even louder as the Chans continued to be shocked and stunned. Shendu sadistically enjoyed messing with the head of his nemesis. Shendu finished off the confrontation, with a mere, "Farewell," and left Section 13 with the Enforcers and Hak Foo.

Jackie was relieved that no one else had to die, but he was now faced with the overwhelming revelation that…

"Shendu has brothers and sisters…?" Jackie questioned aloud.

Uncle seemed to remember reading something about that, and so, his face remained stunned, while everyone else's relaxed after Shendu left.

"Yes… Earth is doomed, if we do not stop Demon…"

**To Be Continued…**


	15. Because She Is There

** Cover Art was done up by paintingdragonfeathers on tumblr. All credit for the fanart goes to him, characters belong to the creators of Jackie Chan Adventures, etc.**

**Sorry it took so long, guys! Summer flew by really fast on my end. I had a job program, constantly had to make college preparations, and suffer through writer's block. Well, now college is here for me, and I may not have all the time in the world to focus on writing. Regrettably, college requires a lot of attention, and I intend to give it everything I've got. Still, I'm happy to publish this Chapter around the time of this story's two-year anniversary! I didn't think I could make it happen, but I pulled through for y'all in the end.**

** I realize that, before this Chapter, El Toro did not appear. Just to let you all know: El Toro's debut Episode is actually filler, and we won't get to the fillers until AFTER Season Five. That filler isn't important right now – it takes place sometime in-between Episodes of Season One, and has the Ox Talisman falling into the hands of El Toro, and the Dark Hand struggling to retrieve it, while the Chans try to get it back. Let me just stress, so you're not confused: The first episode featuring El Toro Fuerte has NOT been written yet. It will be, later, just not now, when the 'main' Episodes are running their course. Oh, and no Paco this Episode, sorry if any of you are fans of the character.**

** One last note: There will now be a blog that will be run by at least me, Yaxon. Feel free to check it out, the link's on my Profile. The blog will at least be updated monthly with a 'Newsletter', but I hope to update it more than that, eventually, and really make something of it, so you readers can enjoy it in 'small' hiatuses such as these. On with Chapter Fifteen!**

_Last time on Jackie Chan Adventures…_

"_My trouble with Magic, thugs, and Demons is over!"_

"_I am aware of that. But I am a spirit now, so I can cross back to that side and possess any human I wish. I will then proceed to unlock those doors that keep you in here and let you out into the world yourselves, if you allow me passage..."_

_Xiao Fung then told Shendu, "That spell we just cast on you will bind you to the human you possess. It will stay that way until we are all free."_

_Hsi Wu flew up, and giggled at him. _

"_Hahaha. A little insurance policy so we will know EXACTLY where you are."_

_Tso Lan finished the briefing with, "In the event we deem it necessary to resume your eternal torment."_

_Shendu, with a burst of speed, flew at Jackie Chan. There seemed to be no hindrance to his objective. But at the last moment, Jackie levitated Valmont away from the wall and did a complete three-sixty. Shendu had no time to arc left or right in his flight path, and he screamed angrily when he flew straight into Valmont and unwillingly bonded with him. _

"… _But it would not be fun to destroy you all, before having you meet my dear brothers and sisters… So I will let you all go."_

"_Yes… Earth is doomed, if we do not stop Demon…"_

- At Uncle's Rare Finds -

"According to legend, Shendu has seven siblings…"

Jackie, Tohru, Jade, Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Captain Black listened intently as Uncle began to disclose what his research had revealed thus far. It had been a few hours since Shendu bailed out the Enforcers and Hak Foo, and everyone had been forced to do nothing but anxiously wait. That was the worst part. Waiting, knowing that they could do nothing in their current predicament.

At least Tohru, now Uncle's newly-appointed apprentice, had it a little easier than the rest of the Chan Clan. He passed most of the time by fetching what Uncle needed, and even skimmed a few Spell books for Uncle. The rest of the Chan Clan? Well… Let's just say there was a lot of pacing and twiddling of thumbs.

But now the fruits of Uncle's research were showing, and they were quite revealing. They weren't pleasant truths, but whoever said that the truth was sweet?

Uncle continued, "Each Demon possesses an element. Earth… Mountain… Wind… Sky… Thunder… Moon… and Water… Shendu is Demon of Fire. In ancient times, these Demons terrorized the Earth for many years. Demons appeared to be unstoppable, until the Eight Immortals rose up against them and banished them to the Netherworld. There exist eight Portals that connect Netherworld and this world, one for each Demon. Key to Portals is the Panku Box. Box exists in Chinese Shrine on human side. That is what Shendu will go after next."

Uncle closed the book he had read from at last. He had been looking over it one more time to be thorough while summing up what he had discovered. There wasn't that much to sum up, actually, but the information he had dug up from his archives WAS hard to swallow.

So much for Jackie's 'retirement.'

"You're sure that's what he'll go after next, Unc?" Captain Black questioned while leaning forward on the back of the chair he was sitting on.

Uncle threw up his hands.

"If Demon seeks to release brethren, then going after key IS next step! Aiyah!"

Jackie rubbed the back of his head and nervously smiled.

"Uncle, we just want to be sure that the Panku Box is what Shendu will go after, now that he has the Enforcers. He could try and conquer the whole world by himself…"

Jade cut in quickly.

"In Valmont's body? Those two hate each other."

Jackie threw his hands in the air.

"Whatever! It's possible that he could have the Panku Box already! The point is, do we know for sure that the Panku Box is Shendu's target, Uncle?"

Uncle growled and held up a book from a nearby stack.

"Research says Panku Box is forged of Good Magic! Shendu cannot touch Good Magic! Not even in body of Valmont!"

Ratso scratched his nose.

"Couldn't he use the Talismans to…" Ratso trailed off.

Finn shrugged.

"Or couldn't he come up with a Spell to bring the Box to him, or use those Shadowkhan?"

Chow laughed and cracked a joke.

"Or somebody coulda delivered it to him!"

Uncle twitched, and tried to hold back his fury.

"Uncle is certain that Shendu does not have Panku Box! Shendu did not have time or knowledge of whereabouts of Panku Box! You know of Shendu's current location? No? Then Uncle says we go to Chinese Shrine, to procure Panku Box!"

Everyone sighed wistfully at Uncle's stubbornness. Uncle did have a point – the time that lapsed between Shendu possessing Valmont and him busting out the Enforcers DID seem kind of limited.

But still… Jackie couldn't shake the feeling that something didn't quite add up. He just didn't know what…

- At the Helm's Fish Cannery -

Shendu was a very unhappy dragon. He had spent millennia as a statue, waiting impatiently to be reunited with his Talismans, only to have his physical body destroyed upon reuniting with said Talismans. Then, he was forced by his brothers and sisters to go on a quest to release each and every one of them… but what other choice did he have? Be tormented for all eternity by his 'beloved' brethren, or try and free them in a human body?

To be honest, Shendu was seriously considering eternal torment in limbo to be better than his current predicament. Being trapped in Valmont's body was torment enough for a billion eternities, but now Shendu was becoming increasingly frustrated that he could not figure out how to make the Panku Box work. … Or, at least, his human slaves could not figure it out, let alone Shendu himself. Humans built the thing, why couldn't they get it to work? Ignorant humans… Shendu had the key to his siblings' freedom, so why wouldn't the accursed contraption work? They'd been at it for a few hours already.

Hak Foo cried out, "Squirrel cracks nut!" for the millionth time that day. He repeatedly attempted to pry the Panku Box open, but came up with nothing every time. One time he tried to slam the Box down on the table to break it. Let's just say he was lucky that it bounced off the table and onto the floor without a scratch on it. Shendu threatened Hak Foo that if he ever went near the Panku Box again, he would be 'severely punished'.

MC Cobra didn't fare much better. MC Cobra took power tools like jackhammers to it, but it only ended up wasting perfectly good tools. He, too, was forbidden to go near the Panku Box, due to bringing up the suggestion of 'blowing it up', to see if anything would happen.

Ice handled the Panku Box a little more carefully, after seeing Shendu blow up at Hak Foo and MC Cobra. But just like Hak Foo and MC Cobra, Ice came up with nothing. Ice's theory was that there was a button, or a series of buttons, that opened the Box up, or made the Box do 'cool things'. His theory was put to rest, though. There were no buttons on it. Anywhere. Compared to Hak Foo and MC Cobra, Ice got off lightly with Shendu just calling him 'incompetent'.

It wasn't until DJ Fist handled the Panku Box that any results came at all. Of course, DJ Fist didn't figure it out immediately, so Shendu took this time to berate his slaves.

"You simpletons… Why do I bother keeping you around…? You can't even figure out how to activate a simple key!"

Ice shook his head and pointed accusingly at Shendu.

"You's da one dat busted us out and forced us to help you out, dawg. 'Sides, you can't touch dat thang." Ice snickered jabbed a finger at the Panku Box, which was held cautiously by DJ Fist, who ignored the conversation going on. Then he shook his head and mumbled, "If you'd just let me open a can of whoop on dat box with da Talismans, we'd prolly have it workin' by now…"

Shendu growled and raised an eyebrow intimidatingly. Well… as intimidatingly as he could make it look with Valmont's body.

"What was that, slave…?"

Ice raised and waved his arms defensively.

"N-Nothin'! You don't need to do nothin' to me, dawg!" Hearing Shendu seriously threaten to turn MC Cobra inside out if he ever went near the Panku Box again was a good enough deterrent for Ice. He was not about to get on Shendu's bad side anytime soon. Though, that wasn't too hard to do these days.

Meanwhile, MC Cobra and Hak Foo had chosen to remain silent until the Panku Box was working. Hak Foo was almost 100% sure that he could hold his own against the demon… but he wasn't crazy enough to initiate a brawl anytime soon. Thanks to Shendu, Hak Foo had to be wary of his boss now. Shendu was a formidable opponent indeed. MC Cobra, on the other hand, was threatened into submission, and he very much feared Shendu. 'Too scared to speak', would be the phrase to describe MC Cobra.

Finally, DJ Fist figured out the puzzle… literally…

"Yooo, Fist! Noice!" Ice gave his homie two thumbs up.

Shendu gave a genuine smile, MC Cobra silently cheered, and Hak Foo resigned himself to just smirking. All DJ Fist did was twist the Panku Box ever so slightly, and the puzzle box began hovering and turning of its own accord, solving itself. DJ Fist was a little disappointed, since he had hoped to solve the puzzle himself… but the Panku Box was solving itself. Good enough.

Soon enough, an ethereal hologram of a map projected itself from the Panku Box. It mapped part of the world, but the point of interest for Shendu was a solitary blinking red light over Tokyo, Japan. Some writing was also visible, and it was at this time that MC Cobra decided to speak up.

"Um… Not that I took some Chinese language classes or anything… But I think that says, 'That which runs, but never walks, to the mouth that never talks.'"

Ice groaned.

"I HATE riddles…" Ice walked over to a nearby wall and started beating his head into it.

Shendu, who had neared the holographic map with increasing excitement, ignored the Enforcers and gleefully and triumphantly raised his arms in the air as he turned to the four of them.

"At last… the Demon Sorcerers will return and walk the earth, casting their shadow upon all human-" Shendu ceased his rant, after hearing the Panku Box drop to the floor behind him. He whipped around and visibly trembled. The Panku Box turned itself off. Not good.

After hours of not having control of his own body, Shendu's control slipped, and Valmont took over. Turning to each of his Enforcers in turn, he said, "Please tell me someone wrote that down…"

No one could offer an affirmative.

- At the Chinese Shrine -

It had taken some time, but Uncle was finally able to discern the precise location of the shrine that housed the Panku Box. And after making a couple of calls, due to the insistence of Jade, the 'J-Team' was formed for the first time: Jackie, Uncle, Tohru, the Aides, El Toro Fuerte, Viper, and, self-proclaimed member, Jade . Viper was hard to track down, but with a criminal-like mind like Jade's, it didn't take too long. And she didn't need much incentive to work with the Chans again, either. Oh, she insisted to be paid, but she sang a different tune after a half-hearted threat involving Section 13. El Toro Fuerte was more than happy to offer assistance again. An incident that introduced him to the Chan Clan and the Dark Hand, involving himself and the Ox Talisman a few months back convinced El Toro that Magic was real, and that it could be dangerous. And since Uncle said the Panku Box, in the wrong hands, was life-threatening to everyone on the planet, El Toro felt all the more obligated to lend a hand.

Once the J-Team was assembled and debriefed in full, they were on the first flight to China, near the heart of it. El Toro wondered if it was actually alright with China to fly to this temple shrine and take what could be considered a national treasure. Viper was okay either way, and everyone else, except Uncle, who said that they NEEDED to retrieve the Box, wondered about it as well after El Toro brought it up, but Jackie assured El Toro, and everyone else, that Captain Black cleared it. It paid to have friends in high places.

Jackie scouted the immediate area upon arriving at the shrine. No sign of the Dark Hand. That could be taken as a good or bad sign, depending on the circumstances. Good, if the Panku Box was still inside the shrine; bad, if the Panku Box was gone.

Motioning for everyone to come on out of the private military jet, Jackie indicated it was safe.

"No sign of the Dark Hand… Let's hope we're not too late." Jackie paused as Jade was about to get out of the jet. Jackie stopped her and pointed Jade back to where she came.

"Awww… Jaaackiiieee…" Jade whined, and didn't move to get back in the jet.

Jackie shook his head and placed his hands on his hips.

"It's too dangerous, Jade, you know this. Just sit tight, and we'll be right back out. I promise."

Jade raised an eyebrow.

"What, no babysitter?" Jade smirked.

Jackie shook his head.

"The pilot will look after you, Jade. Everyone else will need to be on hand if the Dark Hand shows up. They have the Talismans, and Shendu retains his dragon powers, even in Valmont's body. You'll be an easy target, and, potentially, a hostage.

Jade snorted and crossed her arms defiantly, eyebrow still raised questioningly. Jackie sighed and dropped his arms from his hips.

"I just want you safe, you know this… You can't be safe in there."

Jade shrugged and grinned cheekily at Jackie.

"It's just a shrine, Uncle Jackie! You said yourself the Dark Hand isn't here yet! Besides, I'm the cunning member of the J-Team!"

Jackie rolled his eyes and shook his head again. While he took this time to lecture Jade, Uncle led Tohru, the Aides, and El Toro inside the temple. Jackie crossed his arms.

"Jade, promise me that you will stay here, and not come inside. I want to hear you promise this before I go inside."

Jade huffed. Looking down dejectedly and holding her arms behind her back, Jade made circles with her foot on the ramp and mumbled, "I promise…"

Jackie nodded approvingly, and made his way toward the entrance to the temple, where Viper was waiting for him.

"You know the kid won't listen, even if you make her 'promise', right?" Viper smirked, walking alongside Jackie.

Jackie shrugged and frowned.

"I know. I just feel better by doing that. We care for each other mutually, and, well… I just can't stop her from doing as she pleases. I'd be a terrible parental figure if I handcuffed or chained her to a chair. Not to mention she'd escape within minutes."

Viper snickered, and the two walked more briskly to catch up with the rest of the J-Team…

Inside the shrine, Uncle and everyone else had made it to the main chamber. Everyone seemed to have the similar impression that the main chamber was large, big, etc. Uncle was drawn to some markings on the wall opposite the entrance to the chamber, while everyone else decided to do a sweep for the Panku Box. They were used to multi-tasking by now. It's true that the Panku Box could've been in another chamber, but Uncle was adamant in claiming that the Panku Box would be in the main chamber, which they were now in. The shrine wasn't built for any other purpose.

Initially, Tohru was drawn to a pedestal near the center of the room, which Uncle seemed to ignore, after making a beeline for the markings on the wall. However, nothing was on the pedestal, save for a single envelope. Looking around, Tohru saw the Aides and El Toro searching along the sides of the main chamber, and Uncle was absorbed in deciphering the text on the wall. Jackie and Viper finally showed up, but they weren't quite sure what they could do, since the search for the Panku Box seemed to be covered.

Deciding it was best if he did his part for the search, Tohru opened the envelope, and found a single, folded piece of paper inside. Unfolding the paper, Tohru began to read what appeared to be a letter at first glance.

By the time Uncle had finished deciphering the text on the wall and had turned his attention back to those searching for the Panku Box, Tohru had just about finished reading the note. Uncle spoke loudly enough to get everyone's attention.

"So, we have found the Panku Box, yes…?" Uncle asked presumably.

Everyone but Tohru shook their heads. Tohru finally looked up from reading the note and spoke apologetically.

"Master… I fear we are too late. The Panku Box has been taken, but we are left with the location of the first Demon Portal." Tohru said while holding up the note for Uncle to see. Everyone else turned their attention to him.

Uncle frowned, walked over to Tohru, and swiped the note from Tohru's large hand while letting out a small growl of frustration. After reading through the note himself, Uncle threw his hands into the air and cried, "We are too laaate! Dark Hand has Panku Box, and now intends to mislead uuussss!"

Jackie frowned at Uncle. Sure, the Dark Hand and Shendu would go for the Panku Box, but it was hard to believe that they beat them to it. After all, Uncle had to go through all his accumulated 'research', and that took hours. Even if Shendu knew of the location of the Box, he didn't have the means to get it, per se. If they attempted to steal a jet or plane, Section 13 would have heard about it. And if they used the Talismans to get to China, SOMEONE should have spotted SOMETHING, and thus alert the spy network of Section 13.

It just didn't add up to Jackie.

"Let me see that, Uncle…"

Uncle wearily handed the note for Jackie to read. After Jackie had finished reading, he passed it onto Viper, who wanted to take a look at it as well, and who proceeded to pass it onto everyone else after reading it herself.

Uncle growled, irritated, and threw his arms in the air again.

"Now we have no lead on Demon! Demon is ahead of us! Demon will release brethren on world, and will dance on all of our graaaves!" Uncle cried.

Jackie shook his head, after thinking thoroughly about the note's contents.

"Uncle… The note doesn't indicate that it was the Dark Hand that left it for us to find. Also, it gives us the location of the first Portal, so why can't we check it out? It can't hurt."

Uncle narrowed his eyes at Jackie and struck him on the forehead with two fingers. Jackie rubbed his head in response.

"Who ELSE would be seeking the Panku Box?" Uncle questioned. "Shendu is only other person interested in the Panku Box! If Shendu left note, then it is liiie! Portal could be on other side of world! Aiyah!"

Though they didn't like to admit it, Uncle brought up some excellent points. After arguing a bit more about the next step, Uncle finally persuaded everyone to return to San Francisco and rethink their strategy. Uncle was stubborn and adamant when it came to such matters, but he could not refute completely the possibility that someone else could have left them the note. No one was none too happy to return home empty-handed, and not know who beat them to the punch.

After the Chans had left, Specter of the Jyutlong emerged from a heavily shadowed area of the Chinese shrine. He had delivered the note, just like Teku had ordered him to, but the Chans, particularly Uncle, was adamant about ignoring it. Well, their reaction to the note was anticipated, but it was hoped that they would believe the note and hurry up to the next test of 'Good VS Evil', but this, in a way, let the side of Good prove themselves.

That didn't mean Specter had to like their disbelief. He wanted these tests out of the way as soon as possible. Narrowing his eyes at the original resting place of the Panku Box, Specter mumbled, "Better update leader…" And with that, Specter stepped back into the shadows and disappeared…

- Tokyo, Japan -

"Too easy, dawg!" Ice cheered.

The Dark Hand had arrived in Tokyo, Japan, and they had begun their search for the Demon Portal that housed Po Kong, the Mountain Demon. In a little less than an hour, they believed they had found the answer to the riddle, 'that which runs, but never walks, to the mouth that never talks.' Well… Ice believed it was the answer, anyway. Currently, they were standing outside a toy shop, which had a gargantuan statue of a chibi toy on the roof of the store. Of course, somebody burst his bubble…

Valmont's body twitched as Valmont took control of his body once again. He was really loathing Shendu having the dominance in their 'relationship'.

"Are you daft?" Valmont shot a glare at Ice. He continued his line of thought, "I don't think this toy store was around thousands of years ago! How could this possibly be the location of the Portal? Use your head, Ice!"

Inside Valmont's head, Shendu hissed.

"You should heed your own words, Valmont… Need I remind you of all your own past failures…?" Shendu snickered.

Valmont bit his tongue and refrained from retorting. Oh, he was plenty angry with Shendu, and he very badly wanted to defend himself, but Shendu turned out to be very good at tearing down his arguments, even if Valmont didn't like to admit it. Almost losing the Talismans was so aggravating, and Valmont had no doubt that Shendu would bring up that bit of recent history…

Shendu sounded satisfied when he spoke in Valmont's head again.

"I'm glad you won that little argument against yourself for me, Valmont… Maybe there's hope for you after all!"

Valmont grumbled, and then Shendu took over Valmont's body again. Turning to the Enforcers, Shendu narrowed his eyes and said, "Does ANYONE have any idea where the Portal could be…?"

Ice was about to raise his hand, but Shendu cut him off with, "BESIDES Ice…"

Hak Foo, arms crossed, shook his head and didn't say a thing. MC Cobra raised an eyebrow and scratched the right side of his head.

"What if it's some other statue that was around back then? That'd meet the requirements of the riddle… right?" MC Cobra asked in a hopeful voice.

Shendu shook his head.

"Not quite… statues don't run… It's something else." Shendu paused and let out an aggravated grunt. "Think harder!"

Everyone had forgotten about DJ Fist, again. DJ Fist's attention was drawn to a map of Tokyo, which was in a pamphlet that they had picked up a short while ago, so he didn't participate in the discussion going on. DJ Fist was aware that, in Tokyo, there were only perhaps a few things that could stand the test of time for thousands of years, and meet the requirements of the riddle. And there wasn't anything that could meet both requirements that he could think of off the top of his head. It had to have a mouth, but didn't talk, and it had to be able to run, but not walk.

Thinking on it, DJ Fist came to the conclusion that the answer didn't have to have a literal 'mouth', like one of a human. For instance, rivers had 'mouths'. Then, there was the term, 'runs'. A computer 'ran' programs and such, but they couldn't have been around thousands of years ago, of course.

And then it hit him. In addition to 'mouths', the waters of a river 'ran', whether they were deep or shallow. And said water 'ran' to the 'mouth' of the river. Water couldn't walk, and a river's mouth couldn't talk. Therefore…

DJ Fist checked the map of Tokyo for a nearby river. There might have been several throughout Japan, but there had to be one especially close to Tokyo, if not one that ran through it. There indeed seemed to be one. Tracing his finger along the river to the mouth, DJ Fist mapped out the route they would need to take to check it out.

Then he proceeded to inform everyone else of his hunch. And after another hour, they reached the mouth of the river, where a temple was discovered. Deciding to check out that site first, the Dark Hand scoured the place for any hints of the location of the Portal.

It didn't take long at all to find what they were looking for. Once again, the Panku Box did all the work. When it was near enough, the Panku Box let out a stream of blue energy that zapped a keyhole over a small door on the front of the temple, which changed the keyhole into the symbol of Po Kong, the Mountain Demon. Shendu ordered Hak Foo, who was holding the Panku Box, to near the location of the Portal even further. Hak Foo complied, and then the Panku Box acted of its own accord yet again, floating to the symbol of Po Kong, extending the same symbol on the top of it and joining the symbol on the door, like a normal key to a key hole.

The Enforcers gasped as an ethereal green line appeared, extended, and raised itself up, revealing a swirling, orange and red vortex with the green outline of a gate. A dark green hand emerged from the portal at first, which soon became an arm, followed by a head, and eventually the entire, pudgy body of the Mountain Demon. Po Kong landed on the surface of the earth with a big 'thud', which resulted in a small earthquake.

Shendu raised Valmont's arms triumphantly and greeted his sister joyfully.

"Welcome back, dear sister… I trust all is well, now that you are free…?"

Po Kong snorted and glared down at Shendu with big, red eyes. Shendu returned the favor with a sharp glare of his own.

"Why did you take so long to free me, Shendu? I should crush you right here and now…

The Enforcers and Hak Foo gulped. The Enforcers first noticed that Po Kong was FAT, and wanted to laugh at that, but they didn't want to risk getting stomped flat for insulting her. And now Po Kong was threatening their employer! This was not good…

So when Shendu and Po Kong broke out laughing, they all had confused and dumbfounded looks on their faces.

"It is good to be free again, Shendu… It has been so long, since my imprisonment… And now I have the opportunity to feast once more!"

The Enforcers and Hak Foo edged away, of course. They thought she meant that she would dine on them, but, naturally, Shendu knew what she meant, and chuckled.

"Yes… There are thousands of humans in Tokyo alone… All are such small morsels, but you did always savor the taste of humans! I do hope these Japanese people will be enough to quench your hunger for at least a little while… And if not, you are free to indulge in one or two of my slaves… I have four, and I only really need one…" Shendu snickered.

The Enforcers and Hak Foo paled. Po Kong bellowed with laughter once more.

"Anything will taste better than rocks and boulders, Shendu… I shall enjoy my first main course! The humans should not have locked me away, because I am STARVING!"

Shendu and Po Kong shared a chuckle once more, and then Shendu got serious.

"Very well… While you feast, we shall move onto freeing the next Demon Sorcerer. Jackie Chan shall no doubt try to interfere, so do feel free to devour him as well, dear sister. May your reign be eternal!"

And with that, Po Kong was directed to Tokyo, and the Dark Hand and Po Kong went their separate ways…

- At Section 13 -

Captain Black may have been many things, but one of them was not a fool. Uncle may have turned out to be right about plenty of situations involving Magic, and he may have been SURE that the Dark Hand was going to China, but what leader of an officially non-existing, top secret agency would Black be, if he didn't triple- and quadruple-check everything? Black hated not knowing something for sure, that some things were just highly probable. He absolutely loathed leaving stuff to chance.

So, like any other leader of an officially non-existing, top secret agency, Captain Black used Section 13's vast, global network to stay on top of any leads they could get on the Dark Hand's whereabouts. There was a rumor floating about a few hours ago that claimed that Valmont and the Dark Hand had purchased a private jet, paid in full, and were headed for Tokyo, Japan. Of course, there was only one channel that was claiming that, so Captain Black couldn't confirm it for sure. Though Captain Black did keep tabs on any information coming in and out of Japan, just to be safe. He was glad he did, now.

Screams and widespread mayhem could be heard emitting from one of Section 13's radios, tapping into Japanese law enforcement frequencies. Section 13 was working on securing a live video feed to be sure of what they were hearing, but that proved difficult when their operatives in Japan weren't anywhere near Tokyo at the present time.

Finally, Captain Black reached a decision after listening to the radio feed for a good ten minutes. If this was a false lead, Captain Black was alright with taking the blame for the screw-up. Consequences be darned. SOMEONE had to go check on Tokyo, and who better than the Chans, who he had heard were returning home to rethink their strategy?

"Get me on the radio to Jackie NOW!" Captain Black barked.

An agent complied, and quickly contacted the pilot flying the Chans back home…

- Over the Pacific Ocean -

The flight back to San Francisco was quiet. It was so quiet, that a pin could be heard, if dropped. The J-Team had failed to retrieve the Panku Box. They had no leads on the whereabouts of the Dark Hand, and Jade was just miffed that the pilot managed to keep her on the plane while the rest of the J-Team checked out the shrine. How could she be the cunning one, if an ordinary jet pilot of all people was prepared for almost any contingency? She was sooo close to escaping, too.

When Black could be heard over the radio, everyone was shaken out of their stupor and focused all their attention on Black's voice.

"Jackie, can you hear me? Hello?"

The pilot pushed the respond button, and Jackie replied.

"Yes, Captain Black, we can hear you. Did something come up?"

The radio crackled for a few seconds before Captain Black spoke again.

"Something may indeed have come up, my friend. I want you to listen to this."

The Chan Clan listened intently as the radio feed from Tokyo played over their radio, and no one quite knew what to say after a few minutes of listening to the supposed pandemonium in Tokyo, Japan. It almost sounded like what would happen if a monster attacked a city in a monster movie, like Godzilla. Captain Black cut out the radio feed, once he was sure the Chan Clan had gotten an earful. More silence ensued as this news was processed.

Jackie did find his voice, eventually, and the pilot pushed the response button of the radio again.

"Captain Black… What was that? More importantly, where?"

Captain Black resumed speaking almost immediately.

"That may very well be the situation in Tokyo, Japan, my friend. We can't secure a video feed of the situation, so can I ask you to check this out for me? I know you're returning to rethink your strategy, but…" Captain Black trailed off.

Uncle indicated to the pilot that he wished to speak, so the pilot reluctantly complied and pressed the response button.

"That is faaalse lead! Shendu left note at shrine, saying Portal was in Tokyo! We must know for suuure that Portal is in Tokyo before investigatiiing!" Uncle crossed his arms after saying this.

Jackie frowned at Uncle, and shook his head. He indicated for the pilot to keep holding down the response button.

"We will check out Tokyo, Captain Black." Jackie said determinedly.

The pilot let go of the response button as Uncle screeched, "WHAAAT!"

Captain Black sounded relieved on the other end.

"That's good to hear, my friend. I'll let you know more, if we hear anything else of interest. This is Captain Black, over and out."

The pilot turned off the radio as Captain Black ended the transmission, and Uncle pointed accusingly at Jackie all while pointedly glaring at him.

"You believe Captain Black over Uncllle?" Uncle asked incredulously.

Jackie sighed and crossed his arms while leaning back.

"Uncle we have no other leads. I don't want to return to San Francisco, only to find out that Tokyo is the site of the Demon Portal, and that a Demon IS attacking it." Jackie paused and turned his head toward the pilot, who looked at him through the rearview mirror in the cockpit of the jet. "Is it that alright with you?"

The pilot shrugged nonchalantly.

"We're not too far out from Japan. We've definitely got enough fuel. As long as that's what you all want."

All nodded in agreement except Uncle, who snorted and huffed in frustration. And with that, the J-Team was on their way to Tokyo…

- Tokyo, Japan -

The situation in the capital city of the land of the Rising Sun was grim. Po Kong had strolled into the city, knocking over buildings like dominos and crushing cars under her feet without a care in the world. Fortunately for the Japanese, all that Po Kong knocked down were demolition sites, and crushed cars lacking people. Pedestrians ran for their lives as Po Kong took in the sight of the grandiose city.

"Much has indeed changed!" Po Kong bellowed and laughed. "The humans have built constructs that are as tall as me! Fascinating!"

Po Kong's eyes drifted downward to the streets, and she noticed humans fleeing in droves in all directions. Licking her chops, Po Kong bellowed gleefully, "MMM! Hors d'ouevres!" Almost immediately, she advanced further into the heavily-populated city, chasing after an unfortunate group of pedestrians. Of course, since they had a head start, the civilians had a slight chance of escaping the ravenous Demonness.

Po Kong cornered a handful of civilians in an alley and attempted to reach for them, but her arms were too stubby, and the alleyway was too narrow.

"C'mere, you!" Po Kong roared.

Naturally, the humans were wise, and did not comply with the pudgy Demon Sorcerer. Eventually giving up on that small group of cowering humans, Po Kong began to look elsewhere, making the ground shake with every step she took.

The next couple of hours had Tokyo under lockdown. Fortunately, the military was able to evacuate the immediate area where Po Kong was rummaging for 'snacks', in addition to all adjacent suburban areas, thanks to the aid of local law enforcement. As far as the Japanese military was concerned, there would be no fatalities on their watch. And that meant isolating the Mountain Demon and coordinating an airstrike. If that didn't work, the Japanese military was at a loss for what to do. This was a big threat that they were dealing with, and just cancelling all flights into Tokyo, without giving an explanation, was not easy.

The military didn't know where this monstrosity came from, but they were going to stop it one way or another…

- Outside of Tokyo, Japan -

The pilot of the Section 13 aircraft landed the jet as close to Tokyo as the Japanese military would allow. There indeed seemed to be something going on in the Japanese metropolis, and from what they could glean from the radio feed, it was a big, lumbering green monster that could've passed off as some mutated, female sumo wrestler.

Thanks to Uncle's research and those details, Uncle was able to deduce that the Demonness was Po Kong. Uncle was still somewhat skeptical, but thanks to the military's insistence that they clear out of Tokyo's airspace, most of those doubts in Uncle's mind were erased, and he immediately compiled a list of ingredients that he would need to procure before banishing the Mountain Demon.

"Jackie, it will be up to you to get into Tokyo and stall Demon. Uncle shall hurry and retrieve ingredients for Spell. Word of advice: Do not diiieee!" Uncle strongly advised.

Jackie grimaced and nodded.

"Yes, Uncle… Will Tohru be going with you, then?"

Uncle nodded and crossed his arms.

"It shall be good learning experience for my apprentice. He must learn to identify basic ingredients for Spells!"

Jackie turned to the Aides, Viper, and El Toro.

"Alright, then… I'll be relying on you guys for backup."

Jade pumped her fist in the air, even though Jackie wasn't facing and addressing her.

"You can count on us, Uncle Jackie!"

Jackie groaned and turned his attention to his niece.

"No, Jade… It is far too dangerous for especially you to be around this time. I want you to stay in the jet again, got it?" Jackie said while wagging his finger sternly at her.

Jade pouted and crossed her arms.

"Awww…"

Jackie smiled and placed his right palm on Jade's head and nuzzled it.

"We'll be back, Jade. Don't worry! We'll beat this Mountain Demon." Jackie beamed at Jade, but she still looked sour about being left behind. Again. Despite that look, Jade gave no indication she'd attempt to come after them to help. That was good enough for Jackie.

With that, Tohru and Uncle split off from the group to go and procure ingredients, and Jackie, Finn, Ratso, Chow, and El Toro walked off in the direction of Tokyo, not realizing Viper stayed behind temporarily. Walking over, Viper whispered something in Jade's ear, and she immediately perked up. Viper waved and ran to catch up with Jackie's group.

The pilot happened to see the event, and shot Jade a confused stare. Jade shot a mischievous look at the pilot in return…

- Tokyo, Japan -

Sometimes it paid to have a cunning mind like Viper's, Jackie admitted that now. Jackie didn't know what he would've done if she hadn't been there to assist in getting into Tokyo, probably would've forced his way in and gotten the Japanese military hunting them down.

But, no, he didn't need to force his way in. Well… not boldly and brashly. Thanks to Viper, they found a weak spot in the military border surrounding Tokyo. Most of the military presence was centered on the general area where Po Kong was located, and Viper managed to get them into the city at an access point that wasn't overly fortified by hitting on a simple police officer. She didn't mean anything by her flirtations, of course.

… Okay, so maybe she wasn't so much cunning as she was just plain mean. Still, it got them into Tokyo. The first obstacle had been passed, and now it was onto the more arduous task of finding another weak spot in the chain of military blockade surrounding the immediate area around Po Kong. That would be a lot tougher. To the Japanese, Po Kong was way more than a public menace and mere threat to the city of Tokyo. Po Kong could destroy the whole island of Japan if she wanted to! Sure, the military was concerned about public safety, but Jackie was willing to bet that they mostly saw Po Kong as something that must be destroyed. If Po Kong was anything like Shendu before he was turned back to stone and obliterated, ordinary weapons and ways of attack, even aerial strikes, would probably not work. And from the reports, Po Kong was BIG. If they tried to bomb her, it would do more harm to the Japanese than Po Kong...

Jackie cleared his throat and got everyone's attention. They'd been analyzing the more heavily-armed perimeter for at least five minutes, and there seemed to be no hole in the chain. At least one person would need to play a decoy, while the others would have to run as quickly as they could before the military noticed their presence.

Once he had their attention, Jackie made known his conclusion.

"I hate to say this, but we need a decoy… The rest of us will need to sneak in while they are distracted. There doesn't appear to be another way, without causing an international incident, that is."

Finn, Ratso, and Chow looked ready to volunteer, but El Toro beat them to the punch.

"El Toro Fuerte shall run interference. I may be very strong, but I would be no match for this 'Mountain Demon'. And besides, these are soldiers; someone strong must get their attention."

Viper crossed her arms and appeared determined.

"I'll help wrestler-boy out. I'd probably be of little help against that Mountain Demon, too. Besides, someone's gotta bail El Toro out when the soldiers DO catch him."

Viper smirked as El Toro appeared gob-smacked and offended that she would even insinuate that he couldn't take on a handful of soldiers. But then again, it couldn't hurt to have backup, El Toro grudgingly admitted.

Jackie nodded in agreement.

"… Alright. To be honest, we just need to run interference until Uncle comes up with the Spell, anyway. It wouldn't matter who stalls Po Kong, as long as someone does."

Viper and El Toro both shook their heads at Jackie. They might be eccentric in their own ways, but they would never be crazy enough to actually WANT to take a Demon on.

"Let's go save the world, guys!" Finn cried while pumping a fist in the air.

Everyone nodded, and proceeded to execute the plan to take down Po Kong…

- Elsewhere in Tokyo, Japan -

Uncle and Tohru found another way into Tokyo on their own. Uncle's declaration and speech that 'Magic must defeat Magic' managed to convince a handful of law enforcement officials to let them into Tokyo and acquire what was needed to remove the threat of Po Kong. Having witnessed Po Kong with their very own eyes, the officials had little to no doubt that the old man was speaking the truth about Magic being the only thing that could take the Demonness down. And in the time it took Jackie's group to get past the blockade surrounding Po Kong's immediate area, Uncle managed to collect all the ingredients that he would need at just one shop. Uncle was very pleased with the shop, and sincerely offered his thanks… while making Tohru tip the shop cashier.

Uncle combined the ingredients that he could, and then made Tohru carry most of the ingredients while he carried the drum, the symbol of the Immortal who defeated Po Kong. Uncle and Tohru hurried to where they heard Po Kong was terrorizing Tokyo with little delay, as they knew Jackie probably wouldn't be able to stall the Mountain Demon for too long…

- Back with Jackie -

Jackie, Finn, Ratso, and Chow all came up with an elaborate delay tactic that they believed would buy them enough time for Uncle to get to the battleground and do his thing. Jackie would initiate the 'attack' by getting Po Kong's attention, blatantly declaring his name. Then, alternating between Chow, Ratso, Finn, and then back to Jackie, all four would claim to be the real Jackie Chan and call the others 'posers'. They'd run circles around Po Kong with this tactic, as long as they all kept a safe distance. Of course, all it took was for just one of them to be captured, and they'd have to switch gears and take Po Kong head on. None of them looked forward to that possibility. All of them got an eyeful of Po Kong, and she was BIG. It amazed them all that the military managed to confine her to a general area.

Jackie was about to initiate their carefully thought out plan, while Finn, Ratso, and Chow hid themselves in an alleyway, under a sewer manhole, and on a rooftop respectively. All without Po Kong noticing, amazingly enough. Po Kong was aimlessly wandering about, searching for fresh meat. Jackie gave the three Aides time to hide themselves, and then he mentally counted down from ten. After ten seconds, he would suddenly appear in front of Po Kong, who was slowly making her way in his general direction.

… Around 'one', Jackie screamed in surprise.

"WAH!"

It wasn't due to anything Po Kong was doing, and not because Finn, Ratso, and/or Chow were discovered by some fluke… Right behind him, Jade had tugged his shirt sleeve. How the heck did Jade even GET to this part of Tokyo?

"Be careful, Uncle Jackie!" Jade beamed as Jackie found himself at a loss for words. He had told Jade to stay AWAY from this dangerous battle, and she blatantly ignored his warning to her.

… To be honest, though, what surprised and shocked Jackie most was the fact that Jade even got there. Period. El Toro and Viper had to distract many soldiers in order for him, Finn, Ratso, and Chow to get where they were! Jade had a right to boast about being the 'cunning one'…

"H-How did…" Jackie didn't get to finish his line of questioning, because Po Kong suddenly appeared from behind and laughed maliciously.

"So, you are the Jackie Chan of which Shendu spoke! Mwahahaha! I must confess, I thought you would have more of a presence about you, having obliterated my brother's physical body! But I suppose you will make a most scrumptious meal all the same!"

Jackie had whipped around in fear to face Po Kong about halfway through her speech. He paled when she mentioned he'd make a 'scrumptious meal', and even Jade herself had lost her cocky attitude. Po Kong COULD make a meal out of Uncle Jackie, she had the build to back her mouth up. In comparison, Jade could not, and she reluctantly admitted to herself that it would be bad to mouth off to a big, bad Demonness like Po Kong. If Jackie, a grown man, could fear something like Po Kong, then all the moreso for Jade, who was still a child!

Jackie backed up nervously and held up his hands in front of himself defensively.

"Uhhh… Gotta go! Bye-bye!"

And with that, Jackie whipped back around, scooped Jade up in his arms and made a run for it, all the while screaming, "Bad day, bad day, BAD DAAAY!"

Po Kong immediately gave chase. Well… as fast as her stubby legs could carry her, anyway.

"COME BACK HERE, YOU!" Po Kong roared.

No matter what she had to say, Jackie would NOT challenge Po Kong head-on. He had to get Jade as far away as possible…

Meanwhile, Uncle and Tohru had reach the blockade which surrounded Po Kong's general area. The soldiers had finally captured El Toro and Viper, chastising them for even attempting to get near the monster. Even the commander was alerted to the troublemakers, and had to tell them personally why they shouldn't get near the monster, besides the reason that it could kill them.

It was around this time that Uncle and Tohru showed up. The commander was shaking his head ashamedly at El Toro and Viper.

"I know you Americans like to play the part of the 'hero', but we have the situation all under control… Soon, our airstrike will wipe out the creature! There is no cause for concern!"

Suddenly the commander felt a two-finger strike hit the back of his head. Whipping around, the commander growled and glared at the arrival of Uncle and Tohru.

Uncle growled back, and fixated the commander with a glare of his own.

"MAGIC must defeat Magic! 'Airstrike' will do nothing against Demon! Aiyah!" Uncle cried.

The commander rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively.

"Go back home, Chinese Crazy Man. We've got the situation under control…"

Uncle shook his head and forced his way through the line of soldiers behind the commander.

"Uncle will not be stopped! You try to stop Uncle, you will be sooorry!"

The commander snorted and allowed Tohru to pass as well. And he ordered his men to release El Toro and Viper.

"Let the ignorant American swine go… If they are in a hurry to die, then I will not stop them. The airstrike will come soon enough…"

- With Jackie -

At last, Po Kong cornered Jackie and Jade in a favorable area: a construction site. She could ravage the construction site while the humans stumbled around it. At this time, Finn, Ratso, and Chow had realized that their plan wasn't exactly going accordingly. Po Kong was getting closer and closer to Jackie, so the Aides believed they had to do SOMETHING, or Jackie and Jade would become a light snack for Po Kong.

"Hey, fatso!" Finn hollered and waved his arms to make Po Kong look in his direction. He was a fair distance away, but she could close the gap between them in seconds.

Finn paled when all she had to say was, "I'll get to you later, appetizer… First comes the main course!"

Ratso and Chow attempted similar tactics, but to no avail. Po Kong was fixated on Jackie, and there was nothing that the Aides could do about it. Po Kong eventually caught up to Jackie – Jackie selflessly tossed Jade to the side to save her, only for him to be snatched up by Po Kong.

Po Kong licked her chops hungrily and smiled quite devilishly at Jackie as she held him up to her face.

"I'm going to enjoy this! This is for Shendu!"

Jackie steeled himself for the inevitable… to be eaten alive and whole… but the inevitable never came.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!"

Po Kong turned around to the sound of chanting, and noticed an old man who was dancing in a glowing green circle. Uncle chanted faster and faster, after realizing Po Kong had noticed him. The green energy rose up from the circle and enclosed Uncle in a dome, with an orb of blue energy at the top. The blue light zapped the drum that Tohru now held.

"Oh no you don't!" Po Kong bellowed, letting go of Jackie after squeezing him tightly in a fit of rage. She stomped through the debris of the now-ruined construction site over to Uncle and Tohru. She was too slow, however.

"Now, Tohru! Beat the drum three times!" Uncle held up three fingers to stress the point.

Tohru nodded and did exactly as Uncle had said. The drum unleashed vast waves of energy, which Po Kong accidentally walked into. Po Kong wailed, "NOOOOOOOO!" as she was lifted up by the energy unleashed by the drum, and was sent flying back to her Demon Portal, where she was sucked back in slowly due to her size and weight.

Everyone present had to let out a sigh of relief. The threat of Po Kong, the Mountain Demon, was now over. Never again would she walk the earth.

Jade helped her Uncle up, while Finn, Ratso, and Chow made their way over to them to make sure they were okay. Overhead, jets flew and hovered in place momentarily, wondering where the Demonness went. They reported that the monster was nowhere to be seen, and that perplexed the commander of the Japanese military greatly. Still, if he had his way, the military would cover up what happened in Tokyo. Because, really, who in the world would believe that a real, live, giant monster terrorized Tokyo? It was nonsense – forget about the damage it caused, that could be explained away real easily. The thing was just a prototype weapon for the military, and it went haywire. Yeah, that's good…

Uncle patted Tohru on the back and congratulated his apprentice on helping him seal away Po Kong. Uncle joked about letting Tohru take the lead next time, and that made Tohru nervous… All joking aside though, Uncle was proud of his student.

"One Demon down, Tohru… Six to go…" Uncle stated.

Tohru nodded in agreement, and then the two of them proceeded to join in celebrating with the rest of the 'J-Team'…

- At the Helm's Fish Cannery -

Meanwhile, DJ Fist was tasked with puzzling over how to make the Panku Box show the Dark Hand and Shendu where the next Demon Portal would be…

**To Be Continued…**

**Review Replies:**

** Alana Fox: Hope you enjoy this Episode, and the ones to come. Sorry it took so long to get this out.**

** Eduard Kassel: Hope you enjoy this Episode, too. I was happy to hear you enjoyed the opener for Season 2, and I hope to keep up the hype. Interesting stuff to come…**

** D.J. Scales: Hope this Chapter was to your satisfaction. I know you were disappointed last time, with no change in Shendu's host body and all, but to be honest, it's funny to me with those two sharing the same body… I hope to have more fun with their characterizations as time goes along.**

** OMAC001: I'm sorry it took three months to update, I really am. But you'll have to excuse college preparation and writer's block – I didn't think I'd be able to get this up before college got into full swing, but I did. Tomorrow's my second day of classes, so I might not be so free to write starting tomorrow. Again, I apologize, and thank you kindly for your patience. **


	16. Hsi Wu's Prize

_Three Weeks Later, Fenway Park –_

The Dark Hand had arrived at the baseball stadium while the game was just beginning. It didn't take them long to get right down to business… Well, Hak Foo and Shendu, in any case. The Enforcers, whether Valmont liked it or not, had broken off from the search for the Demon Portal in favor of watching America's favorite pastime. The Red Sox were playing… and, naturally, the Enforcers were rooting for the other team. Hak Foo didn't really care for the sport, so he was actually offering to hold the Panku Box for Shendu and Valmont, who was currently 'indisposed' at the moment, thanks to Shendu.

"Why you keep those buffoons around, I'll never understand… All those 'teenagers' seem to do is slack off!" Shendu hissed as he walked close to Hak Foo, who was navigating around the snack area in search of the Portal.

Valmont's body twitched, and Valmont gained temporary control of his body.

"They're muscle! I have a better chance against Chan with them around, after all! Besides… It's not like Chan knows our whereabouts anyway. In this hunt, we're always one step ahead of Chan!"

Valmont's body twitched yet again, and Shendu took over once more.

"You think I don't know that, Valmont…? The point is, your minions, bar Hak Foo, are useless at the moment! We could've just brought him and saved you perhaps a small fortune, yes…? Still, those minions ransacking you for every penny that you still have is quite entertaining…

Shendu snickered as he could hear Valmont growl from within.

"… But anyway… Chan might very well be a step behind us… But that third party… I'm not so sure about them… We have to be wary of whoever dropped off the Panku Box at our doorstep… If they were solely on our side, then they would've had nothing to fear revealing their faces to us… Even if they're timid in nature… As it is, we still don't know the identity of our little 'delivery man', and we don't know if they have helped, or will help Chan in catching up to us on this hunt… We must hasten our quest to release my brothers and sisters at once!"

Hak Foo stopped abruptly, and spoke up to alert Shendu.

"Uh…"

Shendu broke out of his reverie and snarled at Hak Foo.

"What?!"

Pointing at what appeared to be just a women's bathroom door, Hak Foo muttered, "Found it…"

Neither Valmont nor Shendu quite understood what Hak Foo meant, until the Panku Box took to the air and hovered over to the female sign, just above the bathroom door. From there, it inserted the extended trigram into an indentation that had recently appeared, and fit perfectly. Once that was accomplished, a familiar green, ethereal outline appeared, extended, and widened until the Demon Portal was formed. Almost instantaneously, a gray head with piercing, glowing red eyes poked out, followed by claws, arms, torso, legs, and wings. Once the whole Demon had entered the human realm, the Panku Box clattered to the ground, and the Demon Door closed behind him.

The Demon cracked his neck and took a deep, relieved breath.

"I spent far too long in that dump… Lots of empty space, but nothing to do… It was such a BORE… Wouldn't you agree, Shendu…?"

Shendu smirked and extended Valmont's arms openly.

"Welcome back, Brother Hsi Wu… I am ever so glad that we could assist in your release…" Shendu bowed Valmont's body graciously.

Hsi Wu snorted and jabbed a claw at Shendu.

"I would've been out a lot sooner, if you hadn't bothered trying to take over the world without me… You can be a real greedy jerk sometimes, you know that…?"

Shendu appeared affronted.

"I would have let you all free, the moment I beat those accursed Immortals, you know that…! … And after taking over the world…" Shendu grudgingly admitted.

Hsi Wu shook his head and crossed his arms.

"Oh? And would you have made us, your own family, your slaves as well…? Even if you weren't planning to, we all know that the rest of us would have had to take parts of the world by force from you… Greedy lizard…"

Shendu shrugged and shoved Valmont's hands in his pockets.

"… I suppose you have a point… Stupid old bat…"

Hak Foo didn't know quite what to make of the supposed hostility, so he opted to remain quiet until spoken to. Though it seemed there might be a smack down…

… Until the two Demons burst out laughing, after a tense silence that lasted a few minutes.

"Cold as ever, Shendu… So tell me, why has Po Kong been sent back to Netherworld…? It couldn't have been because of HIM, could it…? The human that destroyed you…?"

Shendu narrowed his glowing red eyes.

"From what I gather, it seems that way… Po Kong got no more than a day of freedom before Jackie Chan interfered… Of course, she also made no attempt to NOT draw attention to herself, so all I can say is that she had it coming… I had to continue my quest to release all of you, so I couldn't be bothered to be her bodyguard… Still, she will be missed dearly…"

Hsi Wu snorted and shook his head.

"Sister Kong weighs more than a couple million pounds! And you expect her to be covert about her activities? PLEASE… And anyway, there's always your Portal, right…? We deal with Chan before any more of us are sealed away, and all of us can still be free…"

Shendu chuckled and crossed Valmont's arms again.

"Well, I suppose that's true… So… What will you do now, Brother…? Your Empire is long gone, and this world has moved on from ancient times. They no longer rightfully fear us…" Shendu trailed off, allowing Hsi Wu to reply.

"Well… I'm not quite sure myself… For now, I suppose I'll just spread my wings, and see wherever the wind takes me. Seeing as that Slayer of Demons isn't here, I have no obligations at the moment. But what of you, Shendu…? Will you get back to your quest immediately…?"

Shendu nodded Valmont's head.

"Indeed… I cannot afford to take a break anytime soon… Not so long as Jackie Chan still walks the earth…" Shendu turned to Hak Foo. "Hak Foo, fetch your fellow minions. We're leaving."

Hak Foo grunted, walked over to pick up the Panku Box, and went in search of the Enforcers. After a brief farewell with Hsi Wu, Shendu walked after Hak Foo. Once they had left the stadium, Hsi Wu mused to himself.

'_If I help Shendu by taking out this 'Jackie Chan', he'll be indebted to me… However, in order to that, I'll need minions to call my own… And since I won't have any willing volunteers at the moment, I'd better follow Shendu back to… wherever it is he's going… and just stay low… That way, I'll at least have a helping hand SOMEWHERE nearby…'_

With that thought, Hsi Wu took to the skies and tailed Shendu and the Dark Hand back to San Francisco…

Unbeknownst to Shendu, the Dark Hand, and Hsi Wu, the whole event had been observed.

"Better get going… Have to check in on the Chans, after all." A slightly rough voice mused.

A smoother voice sounded seemingly disappointed.

"Aww… The game was just starting to get interesting… Can't we stay for five more minutes…?"

The slightly rough voice answered back negatively.

"No. Just like everyone else, we can't afford to slack off, either… Even if we can just teleport back and forth in the blink of an eye, hmm…"

The smoother voice sighed.

"I suppose you're right… We have to give the Chans a fair chance in this test, after all…"

The other voice affirmed the smoother one's assertion.

"Of course I'm right… I'm always right, hmm… And I WILL make sure this test goes off without a hitch…"

Having finished 'conversing' with himself, Specter teleported away from Fenway Park…

_A Week Later, at Uncle's Rare Finds -_

Jade dashed to Uncle's Rare Finds the second that the school bell signaled the end of the school day. Things had been far too quiet for about a month now, and Jade couldn't stand it. It was as if the action that had once been in her life had just… vanished. For a whole month, Jade's life had been monotonous: Get up, go to school, hurry home to see if there was any change, be sadly disappointed, do homework, go to bed, and repeat the cycle the next day.

Oh, how Jade loathed it.

Though Uncle Jackie was nervous about the lack of activity as well, he couldn't be happier that Jade HAD to go school now, since there was no abnormal activity to distract her from her studies. Jade had been falling behind, and now she was caught back up, fortunately. Jackie hoped it would last, but knew that the Dark Hand wouldn't remain dormant forever. And when they did something to put themselves back on the map, Jackie knew that Jade would take part in the battle that would ensue, and she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

Upon arrival at Uncle's Rare Finds, Jade swung the door open and rushed in, barely taking the time to carelessly toss her backpack off near the foot of the stairs. Seeing no one in the front, Jade took that as a possible sign that something was goin' on, and, in the blink of an eye, made her way to the backroom.

"DID THE DARK HAND-" Jade started, but didn't get to finish posing her very typical question, because she smacked into Finn, which caused them both to fall over. As a result, Finn dropped the change he had gone to get for the cash register, and it went sprawling everywhere.

Finn openly frowned and whined.

"Aww, man… Jaaade…" Finn moaned. Standing up, he began to pick up the scattered money. He didn't bother to help Jade up, because he knew that she'd bolt up like nothing happened. He didn't even bother to complain any further, because he knew that she also wouldn't listen.

… And he was right.

"Finn, PLLLEEEAAASSSEEE tell me that something went down today! I can't take sitting around doing nothing anymore!" Jade begged, while energetically tugging at Finn's sleeve.

Finn sighed, and picked up the last of the scattered money.

"No, Jade… As far as I know, there has been NO change today. Look, I could take the first ten times you asked… the first five days that there was nothin' goin' on… but asking several times, every day…"

Jade growled and just ran around Finn and into the backroom. Finn sighed once more, and just took his spot at the cash register and filled it up. Finn loved the kid, he really did, but after a month of nothing big going on, he could sympathize with Mr. Chan, he really could.

In the backroom, Ratso and Chow were playing cards to pass the time. Business was slow at the moment, and only one person was really needed up front. Tohru was taking a nap upstairs, apparently, and Jackie was out running an errand for Uncle. Uncle, meanwhile, was glossing over a book. Which book, Jade didn't know or care to ask, but the atmosphere really didn't exude 'Crisis!', and that bummed Jade out.

"… Nothing new…?" Jade asked, knowing the answer already.

"Nope," Chow tersely said, and laid a card on the table.

Ratso frowned and drew another card from the deck.

"Unless you count another group of thugs goin' missing last night… Dunno who that mysterious vigilante is, but the police sure appreciate the cleaner streets lately…"

Chow snorted and straightened his shades.

"I still think it's a hoax, and that those gangsters are just getting reeeaaally good at hiding from the cops…"

Uncle also snorted, indicating that he was listening to the conversation.

"Aiyah! Gangsters and 'heroes' have nothing to do with Magic! Uncle says IGNORE incidents. We must be ready when Dark Hand makes next move!"

Finn walked into the backroom and got everyone's attention.

"Uhh… I dunno about that…"

Jade whipped around, and couldn't contain her excitement.

"What?! What happened?!"

Finn rubbed the back of his head and grinned at Jade.

"Well, rather than explain it to ya, let's just get to Section 13. Mr. Chan just called with some interesting news…"

_At Section 13 – _

After waking Tohru, the Chan Clan made their way to Section 13. Upon arrival, they were escorted by an agent to a part of the secret base that they had never been to before, where both Jackie and Captain Black were. The room seemed to function as a lab… possibly an operating room… maybe an autopsy room…? In any case, Jade thought the room seemed science-y.

When the Chan Clan entered the room, they witnessed Captain Black and Jackie hovering over something that was sprawled across the table. It was thought at first to be a human being… but upon further examination, it was at least something MORE, because the body was disfigured, and… were those WINGS…? Everybody couldn't help but stare.

Captain Black turned at the sound of people coming into the room, and nodded at the Chan Clan.

"Glad you guys could make it… C'mere and check this out…"

Everybody did just that. After a brief silence, Finn spoke up for the group.

"… What is it…?"

Captain Black rubbed his chin and frowned.

"Yesterday, this was delivered to Section 13... We don't know who delivered it or how, but they did, and left a note explaining what this is supposed to be. The only reason we didn't contact you guys sooner is because we had to be sure that this was real, and that this wasn't an attempt by the Dark Hand to throw us off their trail. Well, it's 100% real, according to our best scientists… Beyond that, we haven't been able to glean much from it. At least… nothing that can be explained scientifically… All we've been able to determine is that this man has been messed with, both on physically and mentally. We're still not sure if this is a ruse by the Dark Hand, but I decided to finally let you guys in on this.

Captain Black paused and let everyone absorb the information he had just given. He continued.

"We also took the liberty of identifying this… man… former man… Whatever you want to call him. Supposedly, this is one of the first gangsters that started to go missing a week ago. I'm sure you've all heard the stories of a new vigilante that appeared a week ago, and has been cleaning up the streets every night since…?" Black received a snort from Uncle, and a nod from everyone else. He went on, "Well, as far as those rumors are concerned, gangsters HAVE gone missing. And there have been one or two eyewitnesses that happened to see this mysterious vigilante; although we took their testimony with a grain of salt, because the vigilante apparently has gigantic, bat-like wings, and glowing red eyes. The witnesses could've been lying or hallucinating; we just couldn't be sure. But anyway… Back to the note. Whoever delivered this guy to us claims that this man is 'a failed experiment'… of the Sky Demon."

The silence that permeated the air… if one were to drop a pin, it could be heard.

"Are you serious?! We've FINALLY got another Demon to brawl with?!" Jade sounded ecstatic.

Uncle appeared to be at a loss.

"But… Dark Hand has not made sound…"

Captain Black shrugged.

"It's within the realm of possibility… We don't know where the Dark Hand is, and they still have the Talismans AND the Panku Box. Don't take this the wrong way, though… I'm as uncomfortable about all of this as you are, Unc… The Dark Hand's always been a tricky organization, but on a level like this…?"

At last, Jackie spoke up.

"Captain Black… If those witnesses are to be believed, then this 'mysterious vigilante' is actually the Sky Demon… And if he's taking gangsters off the streets, then he is planning something… That is, if this man is any indication…"

All nodded in agreement. If the Sky Demon was experimenting on humans, and all those gangsters that had been disappearing for a week were still missing… The thought was disturbing.

"Well, what are we waiting for?! C'mon, we got a bunch of leads now, right?!"

Everyone was jolted out of their thoughts by Jade's exclamation.

"Jade… has a point. We know a lotta stuff now." Chow concurred.

Ratso nodded.

"Yeah… But… What do we do first…?"

Tohru frowned and rubbed his chin.

"Well… We must try and come up with a cure for… whatever the Sky Demon is doing to these gangsters… And… locate the Sky Demon... And, perhaps most importantly, send him back to the Netherworld… But to do that, we need a Spell, like we did for Po Kong… and no doubt it will be different from the one that sealed Po Kong away…"

Uncle adjusted his glasses.

"Then Uncle shall research Spell. Tohru, as Uncle's apprentice, Uncle entrusts you with cure for gangsters. Ha-Cha!"

Tohru poked his pointer fingers together.

"B-But… I am still so inexperienced… I… I can help you, Sensei…"

Uncle shook his head.

"Demon is free… Tohru, time is of essence. You must develop cure for mutations! Uncle trusts apprentice to do that much! Aiyah!"

Tohru still didn't appear confident, but he didn't argue further. With two of the tasks decided, Jackie designated the third task.

"Well… I guess everyone else will just look for this Sky Demon. After all, we need to know where he is, in addition to how to defeat him…"

Jade pumped her fist into the air.

"Alright! Let's go hunt for a Demon!"

Jackie frowned and shook his head.

"… No, Jade… Too dangerous. You know this."

Jade scowled and crossed her arms.

"Uncle Jackie… It doesn't matter what you say; I always find a way to join the fun…"

Jackie's frown deepened.

"Jade…" When she didn't waver in her determination, Jackie sighed. "Fine… Just this once. But after finding the Sky Demon, you are to retreat to safety, okay…?"

"Okay!" Jade chirped and beamed… all while crossing her fingers behind her back.

Captain Black turned to Tohru.

"Well, Tohru, I'll just let you get to examining the patient, then… If there's anything you need, let us know."

Tohru nodded, and everyone then proceeded to get to work…

_At a Secluded Location –_

Hsi Wu was NOT a happy Demon. One of the botched experiments was missing, and Hsi Wu made it his job to dispose of all of those properly, leaving not a shred of evidence behind. But this ONE experiment that didn't turn out well… Well. It was his fault, really… He kept putting off the eradication of that ONE botched experiment, and what did that get him? Everything was going so well, too! The test subjects were coming out decently after the first ten or so experiments, and now the ONE botched experiment that MIGHT have improved over time had gone missing! Hsi Wu doubted it, but what was the harm in keeping it around for just a little bit longer…? Well, Hsi Wu now knew where that got him, after it went missing yesterday… 'The one that got away'… Hsi Wu just KNEW that this would cause him more trouble than good. If he had JUST eliminated it when he had the chance…!

'… _No matter.' _Hsi Wu thought to himself. _'I just have to unleash my minions a little ahead of schedule. That should be fine… Other than a few screw-ups, they've all progressed nicely thus far. They should be able to handle whatever this 'Jackie Chan' can throw at them… Still. To have the tiniest wrench thrown into my plans… It may not bode well for me… Oh, who am I kidding? It's nothing but an irritant. I will NOT fail like Po Kong did… Po Kong was FOOLISH in her brief time of freedom, and that's why she was returned to the Netherworld! I, on the other hand, am much more cautious, and that WILL save me from trouble in the long run… I haven't had a threat this entire week. Why should I be concerned about a single failure escaping extermination…?'_

Though Hsi Wu was loathe to admit it, he knew the reason why… All botched experiments were incapable of escaping on their own. For one, they did not have the knowledge of where they were, or where to even go to hide from Hsi Wu. And two, the experimentation on them weakened them, very much so. So how could one get away, unless a third party discovered the Hsi Wu's lab and 'liberated' him…? Simply put: It put Hsi Wu on edge. If someone was able to locate him, then Chan could locate him… And if Chan could locate him, then he would be on a one-way ticket back to Netherworld… Hsi Wu would NOT let that happen, if he could help it.

In his defense, though, Hsi Wu DID have loyal 'soldiers'… Well, mostly loyal. Basically, the only reason that the gangsters he had rounded up were still around was because Hsi Wu kinda promised them amazing powers. And them all having wings was just the start, because the gangsters wanted more. Hsi Wu bestowed wings upon the gangsters as a sign of goodwill in their 'alliance'. But the only way that they will get more 'power' is if they follow and carry out Hsi Wu's commands. And so, the empowered gangsters have stuck around, rather than show off their additional body parts to the world.

'_Very soon… The time to unleash my army is almost here… A few more preparations, that's all that's necessary… Ready yourself, Jackie Chan… Your end is nigh…'_

Chuckling darkly to himself, Hsi Wu started to make the final preparations…

_At Section 13 – _

Tohru shook his head as he closed yet another of Uncle's Spell Books. For two hours now, he had been poring through Uncle's Archive, which had graciously been brought to him by agents of Section 13, in search of something – anything – similar to the symptoms of the mutated human laying on the table close by. So far, he had no such luck. Tohru knew not to look for an exact textbook example, because Hsi Wu was a Demon Sorcerer, meaning that he would have a fairly vast knowledge of Spells, and that Hsi Wu COULD play around with a few of the known Spells, thus enhancing them, or he could even combine a couple of them. Or maybe Hsi Wu was developing new Spells… or… or… using Spells that only he knew…

Tohru narrowed his eyes. No. He would not be pessimistic. He WOULD find and neutralize whatever Spells Hsi Wu was using on the gangsters. He was Uncle's apprentice, and was going to prove himself right here, right now. 

With those determined thoughts in mind, Tohru picked up another book that might hold the answers he was searching for, and began reading. He had to come up with an antidote and fast…

Captain Black watched Tohru from the security room and smirked. Though Tohru had been a former enemy once upon a time, he was proving himself to be an invaluable ally with each passing day. Captain Black knew that he could trust Tohru to do his part, just like he could trust Jackie and his party to locate the Sky Demon, and Uncle to come up with the Spell that would seal away the Demon. It was Black's job to keep everyone in touch, up to date, and to watch out for everyone, as much as possible. True, there were a limited amount of cameras throughout San Francisco, but Section 13 was renowned for always getting their man…

_At Uncle's Rare Finds – _

Uncle was faring a lot better than Tohru. Of course, he had more to go on than Tohru, and HE was the Master Chi Wizard, not Tohru… But both were beside the point. The point was, Uncle knew that the Demon they were after was Hsi Wu, that the item that sealed Hsi Wu away initially was a flute, and he knew all the other ingredients of the Chi Spell. All he needed to do was procure all those ingredients, combine them, and confront Hsi Wu when Jackie located the Demon.

With that in mind, Uncle set out to purchase the necessary ingredients.

"Ha-cha! Uncle must go to store! Uncle does not have all necessary ingredients."

The four agents that had been dispatched to aid Uncle looked at one another. They hadn't had much experience with these kinds of incidents, and so they were not familiar with Demons and Chi Spells. The poor devils.

"Uh… Why don't we just incapacitate the enemy with standard Section 13 weaponry… sir?" One agent was foolish enough to ask.

"Yeah, we have the best tech to deal with anybody!" Another agent asserted.

The third and fourth agents nodded with agreement. Nothing more needed to be said, other than…

"There's no such thing as demons or magic, anyw-!"

THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!

"Magic must defeat MAGIC! Come. Uncle needs car to get to store quickly…"

All four agents rubbed their heads from the two finger strike that Uncle had dished out to each of them. For an old man, he still had some moves. Though they were still skeptical, the agents proceeded to take Uncle wherever he needed to go without any further objections, lest they receive more two-finger strikes…

_With Jackie and his group –_

And then there was Jackie and his group. While Uncle and Tohru at least had something to go on, Jackie's group was essentially looking for a needle in a haystack. San Francisco was huge! Even if the places where the Sky Demon's base of operations could be were limited, which they were to a certain degree, they still had a lot of ground to cover!

And so, many Section 13 agents broke off from the main group, which consisted of Jackie, the Aides, and Jade, and started searching potential hidey holes all over town, in order to cover more ground in less time. Of course, they all had to be careful about it. With all this poking around, they were bound to get close to the Sky Demon's base of operations. And if the Sky Demon discovered that they were searching for him, he could capture and torture whoever wound up closest to his lair, or he could move to a different base, possibly outside of San Francisco. Or worse, he could move up the timetable of whatever it was that he was cooking up, and possibly just execute his plan altogether.

That possibility filled Jackie with the most dread. They had to find the Sky Demon, and quick, but they also had to be very, very cautious. Hence the reason Jackie was currently 'arguing' with Jade.

"C'mooon, Uncle Jackie! Why do we gotta be so sneaky whenever we check out somewhere suspicious?! It's gotten BORING after the first five times, and I wanna see you whoop on the Sky Demon, whenever we find him! No need to be sneaky at all!"

Jackie wanted to face palm himself. Very badly. But he resigned himself to just sighing and shaking his head. Obviously, Jade hadn't thought about this much, if at all. Who could blame her, though? She was antsy, and just wanted action. And she was just a kid.

"Jade… We're being CAUTIOUS, not 'sneaky'… And it's because if we happen to get close to wherever the Sky Demon is hiding, and he spots us, then any number of bad possibilities could happen… For instance…

Jade harrumphed and tuned out Jackie's lecture. Cautious, sneaky… What's the difference? It was BORING! And 'bad possibilities'? Pfft. That never stopped them from dealing with these kinds of things before. Then again, they weren't so much 'stopped', as 'slowed down'. All the same, it was really starting to bug Jade.

"And he could…

Jade growled. The lecture didn't seem like it was going to end anytime soon, so Jade resigned herself to listening with half an ear, so that Uncle Jackie wouldn't lecture her for her 'inattentiveness' and her lack of respect. She had half a mind to just walk away and see what Finn, Ratso, and Chow were up to, but even Jade knew that was rude. After all, she DID ask why it was important to be sneaky… cautious… whatever. If only she'd known she was in for a long-winded lecture!

"Plus, if you were captured, he could cruelly experiment on you… Or worse! And…"

Jade sighed in defeat. This would take a while… Oh well…

Meanwhile, Finn, Ratso, and Chow were talking amongst themselves. They were, for the most part, unaware of the lecture being given to Jade, as they had their own fears about this whole ordeal.

"Do ya think we'll actually be of help this time…?" Ratso asked, as he walked between Finn and Chow, and looked from one to the other.

Chow shrugged.

"We've been of help in the past, Ratso… Maybe not as much as we like, but… We're not USELESS… R-Right?"

Finn shook his head.

"Since when has the thought of being useless stopped us before, guys? Seriously, this time is no different. We just have to try and help as best as we can…"

Ratso appeared thoughtful, as he thought about it.

"I guess… I just don't wanna be a useless burden to Mr. Chan, y'know? If ya think about it, we haven't done too much on serious missions like this…"

Finn shook his head again.

"I repeat: We'll just do our best to lend a hand, Ratso. It's all we can do. The only way we'd hinder Mr. Chan in a situation like this would be if we got captured by the Sky Demon or something…"

"But then, if Mr. Chan got captured instead, we'd also have failed him." Chow pointed out. "After all, I, for one, would rather it be me captured, rather than Mr. Chan. At least Mr. Chan would be able to save me. I'm not so sure if I'd be able to save him… OW!"

Chow rubbed the back of his head, where Finn had smacked him.

"Stop being pessimistic!" Finn scowled and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Ratso nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you just jinxed it!"

Finn's scowl deepened.

"Seriously… Dudes. When we find this Sky Demon, we'll do exactly as Mr. Chan instructs. No one's gonna be 'captured'. Mr. Chan's strong enough to take on anyone or anything – we're just the backup, that's true. But we're not so weak that we couldn't get Mr. Chan out of a bind, even if he just HAPPENED to get caught. Stop overthinkin' these things, it's getting to be a pain… We'll be FINE…"

"I sure hope you're right…" Ratso and Chow chorused.

Finn groaned and dropped the debate. Of COURSE they'd be okay. Ratso and Chow were just being worrywarts. Right…?

_At a Secluded Location –_

'_It's time…' _Hsi Wu thought to himself.

Preparations were complete; Hsi Wu's army was ready. Making his way from his lab to the large room where all his minions were assembled, Hsi Wu became increasingly thrilled. There was NO WAY that the wannabe Demon Slayer could take on eighty super powered humans!

… Well… Thugs with wings… But who cared? They weren't ordinary humans anymore. And if they followed orders to the letter, they would be even LESS human. Which was good, in Hsi Wu's opinion. Such a pitiful race, humans… even if they were the ones that sealed him and his siblings away… Hsi Wu tried not to dwell on that… The closer that humans were to Demons, the better.

At last, Hsi Wu reached the 'auditorium' of his base… Well, the only place in the base that could house all eighty thugs and himself. Upon his arrival, Hsi Wu took to the air to get everyone's attention. Gliding over everyone, Hsi Wu hovered above roughly the center of the assembled group, casually flapping his wings.

"The time has come, everyone! Today, this very hour, we take this pitiful city by storm… I have bestowed upon you demonic powers, and you can obtain even more, IF you send the city into an uproar and bring me Jackie Chan…"

All but one gangster cheered below Hsi Wu. That one gangster posed a question that Hsi Wu hadn't quite specified the answer to yet.

"Do we bring him alive or dead?!" The gangster queried. Everyone else looked up at Hsi Wu, waiting for his answer.

"Alive, of course! I must meet and end the very man that has bested not one, but TWO of my siblings… Revenge will not feel right, if one of you were to simply do it..." Hsi Wu paused for a moment; the only sound in the room now being his flapping wings. He finished his speech with a clear threat. "If any one of you dares to kill Jackie Chan, and have the gall to bring him to me at that point, I shall make your lives a living, eternal torment… So do be careful with my nemesis, okay…?"

Hsi Wu cackled, as the temperature in the room seemed to drop. Looking around the room, the faces were stony and pale; the gangsters weren't willing to show much fear, because they proclaimed themselves to be tough, but it was there. Hsi Wu could almost TASTE it. His minions knew their place. That was good. It would be terrible to have to remind one's own henchmen of their place…

Hsi Wu ended their gathering with a solitary command, "Now go! Bring me Jackie Chan!" And upon those words leaving his lips, the gangsters took to the air on each of their relatively new pair of wings, and left the base they had come to call home for the past week. Hsi Wu appeared thoughtful, just as the last of the gangsters left the base.

'_I should probably move out as well. From a military standpoint, the enemy won't expect that – a commander? Stepping out into the battle so soon? They won't see it coming. However… I'll stick out a sore thumb, looking like this… An easy target for that accursed Jackie Chan… Well, for now I'll just play the role of observer, and enter the fray if the situation calls for it… I'll just stick to the shadows, and snatch my prize at the most opportune moment…'_

And with that, Hsi Wu transformed his appearance to that of a grade-school boy – a raven-haired boy in a green shirt and beige pants. The boy's hair was styled with two 'horns', but he appeared normal enough, to the naked eye. Talk about wolf in sheep's clothing – or, bat in human clothing.

"Time for the hunt…" Hsi Wu declared with a feral grin.

_At Section 13 –_

Tohru applied the last ingredient for his prototype Spell, and started chanting. The lizard that he had applied the ingredients to started to give off a green glow. At least it didn't blow up like some of his other prototype spells that Uncle had set him to work on for practice. It meant that he had at least read Uncle's books correctly, though things could still go wrong, or the experimented-on man could remain the same after the test, or worsen. Still, Tohru felt he had to try SOMETHING.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao… Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao… Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao…" Tohru chanted, as he aimed the glowing lizard at the gangster laid out on the table. An emerald-colored light shot out at the gangster, and consumed him.

Tohru nervously waited in anticipation, to see if his Spell was a failure or a success. He didn't need to be reminded that it was his responsibility to find a cure for what could be tens of mutants, yet he still felt inadequate as a Chi Wizard-in-training. He hadn't been under Uncle's tutelage for very long, and already he had failed in executing a few spells, so it was only natural to anticipate another failure.

Of course, when the man's features became normal again, Tohru was more than pleasantly surprised. He was downright shocked that the Spell had done its work.

"It… worked." Tohru breathed. He really was not expecting that.

"Inform Captain Black, Tohru did it!" A nearby agent exclaimed ecstatically.

Another nearby agent ran over to Tohru and slapped him heartily on the back.

"Good work, buddy! Now when those other gangsters show their ugly, deformed mugs, we'll be ready!"

"I only wish that were so…" Tohru murmured and frowned.

"Huh…?" The agent's grin fell and he looked at Tohru in confusion.

Tohru motioned to the gangster before them.

"The Spell did, indeed, work, but this man was only a prototype of the Sky Demon's experimentation. The others will be more advanced, and I don't know what changes the Sky Demon will have made on them…"

The agent visibly brightened.

"Is that all? Well, guess you better go and catch up with Mr. Chan, then! You can go and see firsthand what the other gangsters will be like! I'm sure that Mr. Chan will be running into them soon enough!"

Tohru rubbed his chin with a finger and nodded.

"… I suppose… First, I will need a variety of ingredients to experiment with when I do come into contact with the gangsters, though…"

With that, Tohru and the few Section 13 agents sent to assist him scrambled to gather the Chi ingredients, and prepared to join Jackie in the search for Hsi Wu…

_Meanwhile, with Jackie and his group… -_

Jackie frowned after another fruitless search of another suspicious hangout; they were now in an alleyway. They had scoured at least ten potential bases thus far, but came up with nothing every time. One could argue that the search was only beginning, but Jackie couldn't help but think of all the other potential bases that all the Section 13 agents were checking out. They could've covered well over a hundred bases by now, so what was going on? Either one of the groups was in a battle with the enemy right now and that group was not informing the rest of the search parties, or the Sky Demon's lair was VERY well hidden. To be honest, if the Sky Demon's lair was THIS well hidden, that bothered Jackie. How could the Sky Demon hide himself so well in an unfamiliar setting, such as San Francisco?

Jackie sighed, and just dropped that line of thought. He could worry about this situation all he wanted, but it wouldn't help them at all.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to move on to the next one…" Jackie voiced exasperatedly.

Finn, Ratso, and Chow grumbled, but nodded in agreement. They were about as worried as Jackie was about all this. Jade, on the other hand…

"Uh… guys…?"

Jackie and the Aides turned to look at what Jade was pointing at. If eyes could pop out of one's head, Jackie's would be doing so. In front of them were four men… hovering in the air with bat-like wings.

"Yo. Which one of youse is Jackie Chan?" One of the gangsters queried while crossing his arms. He had a scowl on his face, like he didn't have the time to play around. And he probably didn't, since it appeared that the Sky Demon had sent them out from wherever he was hiding.

Jackie boldly stepped forward, risking himself, rather than Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Jade.

"That would be me. Where is your boss…?"

The four flying gangsters shared mischievous smirks with one another, before turning their collective attention back to Chan.

"You come with us, and we'll take you right to him… But your little friends would have to stay here." said the gangster that had spoken before. He extended a hand out to Jackie.

Jackie, however, was not naïve. He narrowed his eyes at the four gangsters.

"… You wish to make sure I don't cause trouble for your boss… So I do not think I will be going with you." Jackie stated firmly.

One of the other gangsters spoke up.

"Ah, c'mon! We wouldn't hurt you… much… But you're right. Master Hsi Wu doesn't like interference. And if we brought you back with you in peak condition, Master might get irritated if you resisted, like… at all. So we'd just hafta break your arms and legs. No biggie."

Jackie cringed at the gangster's brutal honesty. Well, he certainly wasn't going with them NOW. One of the other gangsters seemed to realize that, and punched the other gangster in the noggin.

"Idiot!"

The gangster that got hit rubbed his head and glared at the one that had hit him.

"Don't call me an idiot, idiot!" And with that, he dished out a swift punch to the other guy's jaw.

Before an all-out brawl broke out, the fourth gangster finally spoke up.

"Guys… We should be fighting Chan, not each other! You're both idiots!"

The two gangsters that had been fully ready to fight one another turned to the fourth gangster and glared daggers at him.

"SHADDUP! He started it!" The two gangsters chorused, while pointing accusingly at one another.

The first gangster that had spoken up shook his head, and just began the attack, seeing as there was no other way. He swooped in low, in order to assault Chan, but he was beat back into a brick wall by a flying kick from Jackie. And now said gangster was out cold.

Needless to say, this got the other gangsters' attention.

"Hey! You can't do that!"

With that said, the remaining three gangsters flew in formation at Jackie. One after the other, they came at Jackie from different angles, all trying to connect punches and kicks. Of course, none of them made contact, because Jackie dropped down and rolled away from the onslaught. This would not be fun, but Jackie knew it had to be done. The gangsters would not give up so easily.

Calling out to Finn, Ratso, and Chow, Jackie told them, "Get Jade out of here! This is too dangerous!" Finn, Ratso, and Chow acted quickly, but so did the three gangsters, seeing as they couldn't have possibly missed Chan's plea to get Jade to safety.

"Yo! You two get the kid, and I'll focus on Chan!" Gangster #2 exclaimed. Gangsters #3 and #4 nodded, and flew at the Aides and Jade.

Finn dashed over to Jade and picked her up before she could protest. Ratso and Chow were right behind them, when Finn started to make a run for the exit of the alleyway. And the two gangsters were in pursuit right behind them. In Jackie's eyes, Jade wasn't out of the woods yet, but he knew he could trust Finn, Ratso, and Chow to keep her safe. Turning back to the only gangster that bothered to stay behind and attempt to directly capture him, Jackie cracked his neck.

"Okay. I'm giving you the option to give up now. If you don't, I WILL have to fight back…"

Gangster #2 rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"You just got a lucky shot at Bostro… You ain't touchin' me!"

Jackie got into a defensive stance just as gangster #2 flew right at him. He successively blocked the volley of punches and kicks that gangster #2 threw at him. Certainly, the wings gave the gangster an edge, but he was still a sloppy fighter. Another advantage that Jackie had was that the gangster didn't seem to seek his life. Of course, Jackie wasn't about to murder the poor guy, but the gangster had to at least somewhat go easy on him, otherwise he'd probably get in trouble with 'Master Hsi Wu'.

With these advantages in mind, Jackie decided to get on the offensive. Using his legs to propel him away from the gangster, Jackie got some distance and proceeded to jump from wall to wall to take the battle to the air, where he would seemingly be at a disadvantage. The gangster growled and merely flew up after him. To say the gangster was surprised that he got snagged in multiple clothes lines would be an understatement. Now the gangster was mad, because he wouldn't be able to unsnag himself as easily as he had become entangled in the clothes lines.

Jackie didn't take the time to gloat, however, because he wasn't continuing his ascent for nothing. When he deemed himself to be high enough, Jackie turned around in the air and brought his right leg down on the gangster. Hard. The gangster was instantly untangled, but he was also sent careening to the sidewalk below. Being smacked in the head with Jackie's foot didn't help the gangster any – he was now discombobulated in the five to ten seconds that it took to reach the hard ground. And upon reaching and smacking into the sidewalk, the gangster was out cold.

Jackie had managed to hang onto one of the clothes lines to stop his free fall, so he was able to just hop from wall to wall until he was back on solid ground again. Dusting himself off, Jackie sighed at the sight of the two knocked out gangsters. He felt bad for them, but…

"I did warn him." Jackie said to himself, referencing the second gangster that he had rendered unconscious. The first gangster he, admittedly, gave no fair warning, but Jackie reasoned he did it to protect Jade. If the gangsters captured him, Jade would undoubtedly try and rescue him, and Jackie didn't want Jade doing something so dangerous, even if she managed to retrieve Section 13's assistance.

Clearing his heads of those thoughts, Jackie ran out of the alley in search of the Aides and Jade, who were likely still dealing with two gangsters. But before Jackie got too far, he plowed right into Tohru, who had gotten a general location of Jackie's whereabouts, thanks to Captain Black's surveillance.

"… Oh, Jackie. Sorry." Tohru said bashfully, and helped Jackie up.

Jackie shook his head to clear it from the slight dizziness that resulted from his impact with Tohru and looked up at him.

"Tohru!" Recognition dawned on Jackie, as evidenced by his eyes. Pointing to the gangsters in the alleyway, he continued, "There are two mutant gang members over there. Your being here means you've counteracted the effects on the first gang member that was 'delivered' to us, so if you could hurry and cure those two, that would be great!"

Tohru sighed. He didn't want to take away Jackie's enthusiasm, but he needed to be honest.

"Um… Well… It's true that I cured that one gangster, but I believe that gangster was just a prototype, and the spells applied to the other gangsters will be modified, undoubtedly… However, ah, if I can examine these gangsters, I should be able to come up with a cure for everyone else… But I will need some time… both to research the Spell, and to conjure it…"

Jackie's smile did drop, but he nodded in understanding.

"I suppose you're right…" Jackie trailed off, until realization hit him. "WAH! Jade! Sorry, Tohru, I have to go help Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Jade fend off two more super powered gangsters… Feel free to examine those gangsters! See you later, thank you!"

With that, Jackie ran off in search of the Aides and Jade… even though he didn't quite know where they were. Tohru took the liberty of starting his inspection of the mutated gangsters, and the Section 13 agents began to bring Tohru's supplies to him…

_Elsewhere, a few blocks away –_

Despite their aerial upgrade, gangsters #3 and #4 were finding it fairly hard to keep up with Finn, Ratso, and Chow. Those three were FAST. On top of that, the three Aides knew this part of San Francisco like the back of their hand, so they had that advantage going for them as well. Jade was opposed to running away, naturally, but even she had to admit that the four of them would have to use their combined cunning to take down the two winged gangsters. Besides, they stopped running now, and either or both gangsters could fly back and assist in capturing Jackie. Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Jade would have none of that.

The question, though, was how they were going to proceed in taking down those two punks. They couldn't run forever. Getting the gangsters to fight one another was a gamble, because they could 'deal' with one another later, or they could outright recognize that for the conniving trick that it would be. Despite the distance that the Aides had set between them and the gangsters, they didn't have the time to set up an elaborate trap, courtesy of Jade's brilliant and creative mind.

So what COULD they do?

Jade took a good look at their surroundings. There were a number of sewer manholes to access, if they wanted to hide temporarily and think up a battle plan, though Jade wasn't a fan of hiding, even if it was just temporary. Turns out, though, she didn't need to think up a battle plan: Chow had come up with something that could work, even if it was just less risky than turning the two winged gangsters on one another.

"Why don't we split up? Me 'n Finn can go to the left up ahead here, and Ratso can take Jade and turn right."

Jade was about to question Chow's reasoning behind that, but Finn cut her off.

"Why would we…?" Finn paused for a second, before realization dawned on him. "Ohhh! I get ya! … But WILL that work…?"

Ratso frowned, and took Jade from Finn's back and placed her on his own.

"I'm not sure what you two are plottin'… But I'll go with whatever plan you two cook up. I trust ya that much. … Be careful, I guess."

And with that, the three Aides picked up the pace; they had slowed down some, so it was quite possible that the gangsters had closed the distance between them. Finn and Chow dashed to the left, when the fork in the road came up, and Ratso and Jade went to the right. About a minute later, the gangsters arrived at the fork.

"Which way do we go?!" Gangster #3 groaned.

Gangster #4 shook his head, and pointed to the left.

"You go left, I go right. We don't have time to louse this up. We need to catch that brat; she's a bargaining chip, in case Chan wins.

Gangster #3 nodded in agreement… and headed right. Gangster #4 shook his head in irritation, and headed left.

"Boy, some people…" Gangster #4 grumbled, referring to some people's ineptitude with directions.

Two right turns later, gangster #4 caught sight of the Aides and Jade, who appeared to be out of breath. He sneered, and dove to snatch Jade away. Of course, gangster #4 didn't realize that his partner also had their target in his sights, and also chose to try and swoop in and retrieve Jade. When Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Jade moved out of the way, however, both gangsters could see each other clearly. They couldn't change their flight path in time, so the two collided into one another and ended up in one tangled mess on the road. The two of them attempted to disentangle, but once they were free, Ratso and Finn had taken two empty trash cans and forced them on top of the gangsters, and thus the two were stuck like that, because their wings made it impossible to squirm out of the cans on their own.

It was a simple, potentially fallible plan, but it had worked. And the Aides and Jade exchanged high fives for coming up with a successful counterattack on the fly like that. When Jackie at last caught up with them, they were playing 'kick the can' with both gangsters. With their weight, they were harder to kick around, but even Jade was managing it somehow.

"You… You're alright?!" Jackie exclaimed in disbelief.

Finn smirked and gave Jackie a thumbs up.

"No problemo, boss! Made us exercise a little, but no biggie. Jade's A-Okay!"

Jackie wiped sweat from his brow and heaved a sigh of relief. Well, that was reassuring, at least. But they still had to locate Hsi Wu, and this was just the first battle that was to come. More gangsters HAD to be running about now, and Tohru was only researching the cure for the mutations at this point. This was just the beginning…

A short distance away from the Chans, a young boy in a green t-shirt punched a wall… and left a sizeable crater. Things were not going well, and Hsi Wu HATED when his plans didn't go perfectly. He wanted minions that followed his commands perfectly, not mere minions that screwed up like this!

… Of course, this 'screw-up' could remain the only dent in his plan. After all, four gangsters were pestering him for more 'power-ups' immediately, and who was he to refuse imbecilic humans that believed they could boss him around, just after receiving their demonic wings? They were still hatchlings in Hsi Wu's eyes, but maybe it was time to speed up the human-to-demon evolutionary process.

… And perhaps he'd do it without administering anesthesia. Gangsters that were full of themselves were real bothersome, after all. The 'slight' pain that they'd feel could remind them of their place. … Or maybe he should just halve their intelligence. Perhaps then the humans-turned-demons would become the drones that he so strongly desired. Hsi Wu had wanted to try that spell for a while now…

_At a Secluded Location –_

"R-Really, boss?! You'll give us more power?!"

Hsi Wu snickered, while motioning for his four 'test subjects' to lie out on the experimentation tables once more.

"Of course, silly human… All you had to do was ASK…"

One of the assembled gangsters frowned and appeared thoughtful after that remark.

"But… we've been askin' ever since you picked us off the streets… Youse said that we all had to receive 'equal treatment' and whatnot…"

Hsi Wu scowled and pointed at the tables more forcefully.

"Well, the status quo has changed. I need the four of you to bring me Jackie Chan… However, you can't do that in your current condition. Just get on the tables, or I shall incinerate you all!"

The four gangsters didn't need further motivation. Upon lying out on the tables once more, straps automatically came out and kept them down. None of the four gangsters remembered automatic straps being part of the 'process'. What was going on…?

"B-B-Boss? Wh-What d'you plan to do with us?!"

Hsi Wu cackled.

"Silly human, I'm only doing as you requested… Prepare to have more power at your fingertips, like you've never felt before…"

Soon enough, screams echoed throughout Hsi Wu's base of operations. Human screams turned into otherworldly screams, and soon after the process had been complete, the four newly empowered gangsters broke free from their restraints and went to fulfill their Master's standing command…

_With Jackie and his group… - _

"We got gangsters, incoming!" Finn yelled, and dove to the ground as two gangsters swooped down to strike him.

Jackie got into a fighting stance and prepared for a long fight. This next group was big… there were at least twelve gangsters in the immediate area! Still, Jackie had a feeling that between him, Finn, and Ratso, they could handle these mutated gangsters. It would just be a long and tedious battle, if the ratio of enemies to them was anything to go by. Jackie instructed Chow to take Jade to a safe location… well, a SAFER location, in any case… While Jade would most likely rebel and find some way to assist in the battle, Jackie felt like a better parental figure by at least trying to keep her out of harm's way. Though it never seemed to work out that way, for whatever reason…

"Get Chan!" One gangster declared. As he said this, Jackie was brought back from his musings, and he expertly dodged the three gangsters that vainly attempted to swoop in and capture him. Jackie connected a roundhouse kick with a fourth assailant, and a volley of rapid punches on the fifth. This only seemed to further anger the gangsters, of course.

A sixth assailant flew at Jackie from behind, but Jackie unexpectedly bent over backwards, and the attacker flew over him instead. At the last second, Jackie grabbed the man's ankles, spun him around, and viciously threw him into another incoming attacker, resulting in the two gangsters colliding into a wall of a nearby wall with a sickening 'crack'! The two gangsters did not get up after that.

Jackie rubbed the back of his head, and grinned nervously at the remaining five gangsters that were glowering at him.

"Ah… I'm sorry?"

One gangster cracked his knuckles.

"Ooh, hoo, hoo… You're GONNA be sorry, pal…"

Across the 'battlefield', Finn and Ratso were combating the other five gangsters. Three were on Ratso, and two were on Finn. Finn had armed himself with metal trash can lids, and Ratso had found a discarded baseball bat, and had also armed himself with a trashcan lid. Admittedly, their weapons of choice left a lot to be desired, but they weren't the gun-carrying type. Like Jackie, Finn and Ratso were more the pacifist type. Of course, with the dangerous lives that they led with aiding Mr. Chan, they got used to having to take up arms against thugs… for self-defense, of course.

"C'mon! Come at me!" Finn challenged the two meatheads staring him down.

They took the bait, naturally. Both flew at Finn, one right after the other, and each one smacked into a trashcan lid. It didn't knock them out, but it irritated them. After their second direct attack failed, the two took to encircling Finn, one flying one direction, and the other flying the opposite direction. Finn hoped that they would collide in their flight path, but they didn't, and Finn ended up feeling antsy with two flying men encircling him. They weren't attacking right away. They were learning, but Finn suspected he could anticipate the next attack.

… And he was right. The two stopped their circular path directly to Finn's left and right. They charged with a ferocity that surprised even Finn, but all Finn had to do was step backward. And he did. The two gangsters tackled each other, and became a tangled heap on the ground. Before they could recover, Finn used the two trashcan lids like cymbals on the gangsters' heads, and the two of them were conked out in a heartbeat.

Finn was proud his bout had gone as well as it did, but worried for Ratso, who had to tango with three of the brutes. He needn't have worried, though. From just one look, Finn knew the battle was over. The three gangsters that had assaulted Ratso were in a heap, having obviously been clobbered by the baseball bat, and Ratso himself had tossed away the baseball bat to dust off his hands. No words needed to be said, as Ratso met Finn's gaze.

That only left Mr. Chan.

Jackie was faring just as well as Finn and Ratso. In just ten minutes, he had bested six of the seven gangsters that had assailed him, and he had the seventh one on the ropes. However, just before Jackie rendered the last gangster unconscious, a large shadow caught Jackie's attention in his peripheral vision, and Jackie had to leap deftly to the right to dodge a hand with big, meaty claws.

That's right, CLAWS.

When Jackie had the thing in his sights, he paled. The thing was HUGE. At easily seven feet tall and at least four feet wide, a grayish beast with batlike wings had its right arm extended in the space where Jackie had just been previously. Upon realizing that it missed, the beast turned in Jackie's direction and unleashed a ghastly howl. To say Jackie was frightened of this new, grisly foe would be an understatement. It was downright intimidating, and Jackie did not like the thought of fighting this thing. It was shaped like a man, but its features were clearly those of a bat's. Even the creature's face had gray fur. But it also had fangs, glowing red eyes, and the creature's wings were on its back.

Could this be…?

"Are… Are you the Sky Demon?!" Jackie questioned the beast.

Jackie received no reply. Instead, the beast savagely charged at him. Jackie gulped, and did the only thing he could do in such a situation: He ran for his life. He was clearly outmatched – the beast's strength was far superior to his, and Jackie very much doubted he could turn this situation around without Uncle's Chi Spell. However, before he made it a few yards, another beast came out of nowhere and smacked him down to the ground. Jackie tried in vain to crawl away, but a third and fourth beast hemmed him in. Once the first beast caught up, Jackie was boxed in. Trapped.

Jackie thought he was finished, but obviously the beasts had other plans. One of the beasts – Jackie noticed that all four were basically the same in appearance – picked him up by the arms and began to flap its wings. Finn and Ratso showed up just in time to witness the four beasts take to the air, with Jackie in their clutches. All they could do was gape in awe at the beasts. There was no way that the two of them could take on four of those things! What if there happened to be more?!

Before Finn could take action and call Captain Black to alert him to the abduction of Jackie, however, Jade arrived with Chow right behind her, the latter obviously chasing the former.

"Jade, you have to remain a safe distance aw- What the heck are those?!" Chow exclaimed, pointing at the creatures that were now flying away.

Finn shook his head and shuddered.

"I dunno… But Mr. Chan's gonna be in a world of hurt, if we don't get CB's help, quick!"

With that, Finn whipped out his phone and dialed Captain Black's number, tuning out any further commentary. Ratso rubbed his chin and frowned.

"Those things were like Super Bats… or… or Super Batmen or somethin'… Mr. Chan didn't stand a chance against those things all by himself…"

Jade angrily stomped her foot and glared up at Ratso.

"Then why didn't you help Uncle Jackie?!"

Ratso rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

"Me 'n Finn had our own problems… We finished dealing with some gangsters just a little bit ago, but we couldn't finish them in time, I guess… By the time we got back to Mr. Chan, those things were surrounding him. I'm sorry, Jade…"

Chow shook his head and comforted his friend.

"Ratso, there was probably nothing you could do against those monsters, anyway… Those things were HUGE! At least we should be able to tail those things!"

Ratso nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so… I'm just bummed we couldn't protect Mr. Chan… But I'll get over it… eventually…"

Finn hung up the phone and looked at Ratso, and then Chow.

"Alright, CB's making it the top priority to tail those things and rescue Mr. Chan… Hopefully we can save him, before the Sky Demon does anything drastic… Uh… Where'd Jade go?"

All three Aides glanced at the space where Jade had previously been just moments ago.

"Crap."

_Back at Section 13 –_

While Captain Black was raising the alarm, now that Jackie had been captured, Tohru was administering what he hoped would be the cure to all the transformed gang members. All the gang members that Section 13 was able to bring in were amassed in the Vault. They all remained unconscious, and the Vault was the safest place that Captain Black could think of to store their 'prisoners', until Tohru could cure them. No one but Tohru would be allowed to leave the Vault, not until this whole mess was dealt with.

Grasping the same, albeit modified lizard, Tohru began to recite the incantation.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao… Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao… Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao…"

Soon, the lizard glowed with that familiar shade of green, and a light shot down onto the patient that Tohru was hovering over. Nothing happened immediately after the brief moment that the emerald glow encompassed the patient, nor for the next two minutes. Tohru groaned to himself, as the Chi Spell did not seem to work. However, before he even turned his back, the patient's wings began to retract, and ultimately disappeared altogether. Tohru blinked in astonishment and rubbed his eyes. Nope, he was not hallucinating.

Still… he could have gotten lucky. So, Tohru attempted the spell on another nearby patient.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao… Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao…" Tohru said the incantation a little more speedily, and the light shot forth from the lizard faster.

Tohru waited a few minutes, and sure enough, that patient's wings disappeared as well. Tohru just couldn't believe it – his first assignment as a Chi Wizard-in-training, and he seemed to have passed the test with flying colors!

Well… That wasn't quite true yet. The Sky Demon remained at large, and there were still many more gangsters to treat. Deciding to update Captain Black, Tohru made his way over to the intercom on the wall by the door and held down the button so he could be hear.

"Captain Black, the Chi Spell I have developed seems to have worked! Please round up as many of the gangsters as possible; I will cure them as they arrive."

When Captain Black didn't reply after about a minute, Tohru decided to cure the ones that remained in the Vault with him. Upon curing the tenth patient, Captain Black's voice finally came over the intercom.

"Sorry, Tohru… I have to divert manpower. Something else has come up: Jackie's been captured, and I need every man available to get out there and save him. That means you, when you've cured all the gangsters in the Vault. Unc is already en route to the suspected Sky Demon's lair. We're definitely gonna need that cure of yours, big fella… the situation's gotten a whole lot hairier!"

Tohru didn't bother to question how the situation had worsened. Tohru immediately hastened his work. He had to get out there to help as soon as possible…

_At a Secluded Location – _

Hsi Wu had a spring in his step as he went about preparing various chemicals and ingredients. His latest, very successful experiments had brought back the enemy that he so desired to come face to face with, and in record time, if Hsi Wu was to be honest. Just twenty minutes after unleashing his newest, fiercest warriors, they had returned triumphant with their quarry, and in relatively mint condition at that. Hsi Wu supposed if worse came to worse, he could have entered the fray and battled his foe directly, but it was far more entertaining to experiment and gain muscle. He would need it, if he were going to conquer at least part of the world before his other siblings were released from their eternal torment.

But the best part? Hsi Wu had Jackie Chan, the one who had slain Shendu and banished his sister Po Kong to the Netherworld, at his mercy. True, there was undoubtedly a Chi Wizard that he would have to watch out for. Shendu had… griped about him, when he had returned to the Netherworld. However, it was obvious that this Jackie Chan fellow was the key player. He was the muscle, and at times, the distraction. At least that was what Hsi Wu had gathered from his dear brother and sister's complaining.

But now this potential Demon Slayer was trapped; unable to help his allies in his current condition. Hsi Wu didn't bother physically injuring Chan to incapacitate him; he wanted Chan to be in peak condition for what he was going to be doing for the next several hours. Ooh, Shendu and the others were going to be jealous…!

Soon reinforcements for Jackie would arrive, but Hsi Wu had his latest experiments guarding all the entrances to the lair. His lair was within a sewer, but Hsi Wu didn't care. He needed a place to lie low and bide his time, while his enemies foolishly watched for the first sign of trouble. Hsi Wu was bold, but he wasn't naïve like Po Kong. The humans had the capability of dealing with his kind, and Hsi Wu had been playing it cautiously up until this point. It was almost like a chess game to Hsi Wu, though the winged Demon admitted he cared not for the game; that game was more up his brother Tso Lan's, or even his sister Bai Tsa's alley. He ended up losing almost all of his pawns, but he had gained, essentially, four rooks. That was what Hsi Wu deemed his latest experiments were worth, if compared to a trivial board game.

But enough dwelling on that. Hsi Wu knew that he still had time, and an unwilling guinea pig to mess around with. But he wouldn't dawdle, when the enemy was basically at his doorstep. Po Kong underestimated the enemy, and Hsi Wu was determined not to make the same mistake.

Meanwhile, Jade had infiltrated Hsi Wu's base of operations undetected. She knew Uncle Jackie would not approve, but she was not going to let anything happen to him, if she could help it. Uncle Jackie meant too much to her. Creeping through the series of passageways, Jade was forced to admit that she had no idea where she was going. At the moment, all Jade cared about was finding Uncle Jackie. And the only way to do that was to check, well… everywhere. By a stroke of luck, Jade had made her way to the room where Jackie was being held prisoner, and waiting to be experimented on. But before she could do anything, Hsi Wu had entered the room from another entrance, and Jade was forced to duck down behind a table before she was spotted by the Sky Demon and Uncle Jackie.

"Well, well, Mr. Chan… I must confess, you did well to get this far… I hadn't intended to enhance those brainless stooges further until the city of San Francisco was well under my rule. However, to make me go against the initial plan, and develop contingency plans… I must say that I AM impressed. I may have lost a lot of men, because of you and your 'Section 13'… But I am still very much in control. No mere human can defeat the enhanced Neanderthals that I control. Once your reinforcements have been swiftly dealt with, we'll get to the fun stuff. For now, though, I think we'll start off nice and easy… and painful…"

Jackie paled. He was strapped down to a table, so he was incapable of resisting.

"Wh-What are you going to do with me?!"

Hsi Wu darkly chuckled and stroked his chin.

"I could tell you… But it's more fun to let your imagination run wild, while the procedure commences… I…"

Hsi Wu stopped mid-rant as an explosion rocked the halls of the sewers and garnered Hsi Wu's attention. Hsi Wu growled, as clearly Section 13 was coming en masse, and they were not going to fool around with his prized experiments.

"What was that…?" Jackie wondered, smugly. Hsi Wu despised his arrogance.

"Never you mind, Chan… Even if they manage to get past the guards, they'll be far too late… You're in the palm of your enemy now, you see… And I won't let you go, alive…"

While Hsi Wu was busy gloating, Jade was looking around frantically for something… ANYTHING she could use to distract the Sky Demon, just long enough for her to free Uncle Jackie from his bindings. Of course, with them being in a lab of sorts, almost anything could potentially be used as a weapon… including that gurney in the corner… That was it!

Sneakily making her way to the corner, Jade aimed the gurney at Hsi Wu just right, and shoved with all her might. Hsi Wu was too busy gloating to register the incoming object, and was sent plowing into a wall as a result. Jade hurriedly dashed over to Jackie and managed to unstrap his arms, while Jackie finally registered what was going on.

"Wha- Jade?! What are you doing here?! This is too-"

Jade didn't even let him finish.

"Dangerous?" Jade shot Jackie a glare, as she worked on freeing him. "I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you, and somehow, I was able to sneak in unnoticed! AND I just totally saved you! It would be nice to receive a 'thank you'!"

Jackie sighed, and didn't retort. Jade was still as stubborn as ever. And she was still in danger…

Before Jade could finish freeing the lower half of Jackie's body, Hsi Wu recovered and, in the next second, was immediately behind Jade, one hand resting on the top of her head.

"So, a brat too clever for her own good managed to get the jump on me…" Hsi Wu sneered as Jade visibly stiffened and gasped. She was not expecting Hsi Wu to be this fast. Hsi Wu appeared contemplative a few moments, before something seemed to dawn on him. Hsi Wu continued, "Well… I suppose I can save torturing you for another time, Chan… A far more INTRIGUING prize has presented herself… You can take down my experiments; they were bound to fail, anyway…"

Jackie's eyes widened, as Hsi Wu chanted something inaudible. Jade was out like a light, and Hsi Wu carried her under his right arm. Jackie narrowed his eyes at the Sky Demon.

"Leave Jade alone, you can experiment on me all you want!" Jackie cried out, helplessly.

Hsi Wu cackled and stepped back.

"Seriously, Chan… I am far more interested in this child. With the right influence, this 'Jade' could truly be a force to be reckoned with. Forget the trivial experiments that I was working on up until this moment… Jade here has a sharp mind, I just know it, and I fully intend to use it to its full potential. Brute strength is one thing, a cunning mind is another. In addition, you show no mercy to nameless enemies you don't know… So what will happen, if one of your very own is turned against you…? Oh, I intend to enjoy this… Farewell, Jackie Chan! We shall see you soon… Kukuku…"

Hsi Wu flapped his wings, and flew out of the room. Jackie sat up, completely numb. The lower half of his body was still strapped to the table, and the shrieks of the human-bat creatures and the yells of Section 13 agents could be heard elsewhere in the sewers, but Jackie soon drowned them out.

Jade had just been taken, and he was to blame.

**To Be Continued…**

**Well, I never envisioned this ending originally. However, the closer I got to the end of the Chapter here, an idea struck me, and I felt I just had to try it out. Yes, it was intended that Hsi Wu would be around to fight another day, and yes, next Chapter marks the return of the Queen of the Shadowkhan. However, Hsi Wu kidnapping Jade wasn't thought up until, basically, the last moment. Next Chapter was going to be a continuation of sorts of this Chapter anyway, but this may make things turn out interestingly… **

**So, apologies for the long wait are in order. I went through a lot my first semester of college, and I begin my second one tomorrow. I didn't know if I would be able to get this out before then, but I wrote like mad, these past few days. I don't quite know when you can expect Chapter Seventeen – unfortunately, things are going to get very hectic on my end, this week… When I have spare time, I will attempt to write. I don't want this semester to turn out like the last one, but my studies do come first. I lucked out first semester with no major papers, but I may very well have to with this one. The classes I've chosen will be… interesting. However, I do hope that this Chapter was up to snuff, and that it wasn't overly rushed. I feel like it wasn't the best; but what can I say? After four months of pure studying and family business, I feel rusty. So, let me know what you would like to see improved, and maybe I can work on improving the quality of this Chapter at a later date, if it isn't to your liking. I worked hard on it when I could, but I feel like it's… lacking, in at least some areas. One of the reasons I published this was because I promised an update, and I did everything in my power to provide one. Another was because I do appreciate all of your opinions, and I don't mind this getting picked apart. I'll go over in great detail what you point out, and will converse with some of you, if you've any questions. **

**Anyway, enough feeling down on myself. Onto the Review Replies…**

**Alana Fox: Sorry this took so long. I'm glad you liked Po Kong's Chapter, and hope this one wasn't too bad to read. Hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!**

**D.J. Scales: There is indeed a change in the line-up, if this Chapter was any indication. Hope this Chapter was alright. Also, I hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!**

**Actgirl1992: Thanks for the Review, I'm glad I've been entertaining you! If this Chapter wasn't good, just let me know! Hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!**

**OMAC001: Sorry this took so long, and I hope it wasn't too bad. As I told you last month, I went through a lot, and a lot more is still to come. I'll do all that I can to make the wait less this time, but I can't promise much, because there's going to be a lot going on for me… Hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!**

**Mengskhunter: I'm sorry this story hasn't been entertaining enough for you. When I started writing this, I was still a senior in high school, and an average writer at best. I suppose I still am, but I have always tried to improve, and I fully intend to keep on improving. Thank you very much for your insight, and I hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!**


	17. Queen of the Shadowkhan

"Wakey-wakey, kiddie…" A singsong voice rang out. The voice was scratchy and perhaps a touch annoying, but this is what Jade woke up to on who-knows-what-day-it-was.

The truth is, Jade had been held captive by Hsi Wu the Sky Demon for exactly one week this day. Hsi Wu had escaped the forces of Section 13 and the Chans, and Jade had no idea where he brought her. It was dark, with no windows, though. And since it had been so long, Jade had to presume that it was a place that neither Uncle Jackie nor Captain Black would easily find.

It had been so long… Jade was beginning to wonder if she'd ever be rescued. At least she had the wits to know her friends and family would never give up on her, yet she was beginning to have doubts about being rescued, at least anytime soon, that is. It had been only a week, but Jade didn't know that. In one week, she had been subjected to all sorts of things… At first, Hsi Wu tried to trick her into coming to his side – going so far as to use his Human Transformation ability that all the Eight Demons had to pose as Jackie and try to psychologically torture her by 'abandoning' her. That didn't work; Hsi Wu sucked at posing as Jackie, according to Jade, and had known it was him the second that she regained consciousness.

Next, Hsi Wu attempted to bribe her, promising her a portion of the world when they defeated Jackie and conquered the world. That didn't work either. Jade wanted to save the world from villains like Hsi Wu and Shendu; she didn't want to conquer it.

Hsi Wu tried psychological warfare again.

"Your family will NEVER find you," he had said. And kept saying.

Oh, it didn't work the first few hundred times he said it, but now Jade was beginning to despair. But only begin to. She still had the utmost faith in Uncle Jackie and Section 13.

Among other methods, Hsi Wu threatened her family, threatened her existence, and attempted to force some Spell on her that would turn her into a mindless drone until she willingly joined his side. Needless to say, that last method was what had been utilized for the past three days, and it had been WORKING. The effects were only temporary, though, and Jade was never mindless for more than a few hours. Jade's memory was fuzzy, and there were gaping holes in it. She didn't know what Hsi Wu had been making her do, but she dreaded the answer to that.

Truthfully, Hsi Wu didn't make her do anything during those bouts of mindlessness. He just turned it on to scare her into submitting to him or when she irked him to no end. Which was… often, so she REALLY had to be irritating him before he forced himself to use the Spell. Hsi Wu could make her do just about anything in that state, but he chose not to. For one, whatever he'd ask of her, she'd do it quite literally, so he couldn't be indirect or vague about his commands. Second, it just wasn't fun. And despite all the setbacks, one of Hsi Wu's major goals was to have a blast while taking over the world. His brothers and sisters would go about it seriously, but where was the fun in that? Tso Lan in particular was a real killjoy to Hsi Wu, but then, 'fun' and Tso Lan just didn't go together. He was all about keeping the status quo when they got back to the human realm, and all business. If Hsi Wu was one extreme side of the spectrum, then Tso Lan would be the opposite side.

So it was here that Hsi Wu found himself, standing over Jade as she awoke from her most recent episode of mindlessness. His attempts at coaxing and coercing her to join him were failing miserably, and oh how he loathed it. No human should be this stubborn and tenacious. None. Hsi Wu just didn't know what he was going to do about his recently acquired Ace-in-the-hole, and he wanted to tear off his antennas for all the trouble that Jade had given him in the past week.

"Get up, brat." Hsi Wu growled, when Jade tried to feign sleep. He knew she was up; his little Spell had just worn off.

When she still didn't get up, Hsi Wu did something slightly unexpected… He began tickling her. In one of her periods of mindlessness, Hsi Wu DID have her tell him how to get a reaction out of her and didn't bother to specify. That was how he knew she was ticklish, particularly on her sides, and how he was aware that the Spell that made her mindless also made her very literal in complying with commands. Instead of using a claw to do it, Hsi Wu simply used a feather and alternated tickling between her left and right sides.

Hsi Wu smirked when that provoked a reaction, finally. Jade laughed genuinely, something she was incapable of while she lacked her personality. Oh, this was only a minor victory, but Hsi Wu would savor this and milk it for all it was worth.

"Have a nice nap, brat?" Hsi Wu remarked as he ceased tickling. For now.

Jade crossed her arms and stared up at him stubbornly. Of course she was still resistant. The brat. Hsi Wu continued the tickling for five minutes, but that still got nothing out of her verbally. This was a pain. She didn't react to being tortured, neither by pain or tickle. Whenever Jade deigned to speak, it was on her terms and not Hsi Wu's.

Hsi Wu pulled his face and sighed irritably.

_She's not wearing down… In fact, she's increasingly tenacious with each passing day, if that were possible… Ugh… _

Hsi Wu ceased what he was doing when a thought hit him. Never let the enemy see you sweat, ESPECIALLY if THEY'RE the captive and not you. Then again, Jade was irritating by nature, it was practically impossible to not show your irritation with her around. Returning her to Chan might save him a headache, but he'd lose his Ace-in-the-hole, and Hsi Wu wouldn't have that.

_I need to get a second opinion on this… Shendu should be a decent place to start. Maybe he'll have an idea about what to do in this situation…_

Hsi Wu grumbled and activated his Spell again, forcefully turning Jade into a mindless drone again.

"Come with me, brat. We're going to find Shendu."

And with that, Hsi Wu went to procure the appropriate ingredients for the Spell that would locate Shendu for him, with Jade right behind him…

_Elsewhere, in some undisclosed location… -_

Xie analyzed a map intently. He still seemed big and hunchbacked under that black cloak of his, and he had yet to sell himself to the Jyutlong. Why should they accept him as a member? The Jyutlong were elite Dark Sorcerers, and he himself was an elite, but how to go about proving that…? Obviously, a bribe was in order. This wasn't just any job application; his purported 'skills' and experience didn't matter to them. They needed incentive.

And that is exactly what Xie intended to give: Incentive. No doubt the Jyutlong had a collection of rare magical artifacts, so going after something that was possibly common was out of the question. No, Xie had to be ABSOLUTELY sure that they didn't have something before forking it over, and it needed to be very rare and very valuable.

So what didn't they have that was very rare and very valuable? It had to be in someone else's possession, of course. Stealing from that 'Uncle' would do nothing for the Jyutlong. He dabbled in Good Magic. Stealing from his previous student Daolon Wong wasn't appealing, either. Xie still saw the brat as a nuisance, anyway. No promise whatsoever.

That left Xie very few choices, but Xie had selected a target. 'Borrowing' from a Demon Sorcerer should be incentive enough, right…? Especially if it was the Archive on the Shadowkhan… Yes, Xie had no doubt that would be perfect 'incentive'. He knew of its general location, so now it was time to go and retrieve it.

With this in mind, Xie rolled up the map he was analyzing and stored it away on his person. Xie hated to keep people waiting. As he set out, that familiar metal clanking sounded with each step…

_At Uncle's Rare Finds –_

Jackie paced back and forth in the backroom, completely unaware that the forces of evil were now taking action. It had been a week, a WEEK, and there had been no sign of Jade or Hsi Wu. Jackie was completely beside himself.

Cleaning up the mess that Hsi Wu left behind was a complete bother. There were no fatalities, but good agents had been severely wounded by the mutated gangsters. It was a stalemate until Tohru had shown up, because the agents were left to combat the mutants themselves. Tohru succeeded in changing the Super Bats back into humans, and that deeply relieved the agents combating them. Jackie had frozen up when Hsi Wu had spirited Jade away from his previous lair, and it took many finger strikes from Uncle, who had also arrived too late, to snap him out of it. Jackie blamed himself for Jade's kidnapping. To him, it was his fault and no one else's. The rest of the Chan Clan blamed themselves as well, but no one was more upset about this than Jackie.

It had taken a little setup, but the search for Jade and Hsi Wu was started three hours after Hsi Wu vanished with Jade. No one quite knew how the Demon managed to slip out with Section 13 all around his lair, but he had his ways, obviously. The reason the search was delayed by Section 13 was because they had to deal with their wounded first. But that didn't mean that the Chans didn't start searching the nearby locations in those first three hours. Of course, since it was the SKY Demon that they were searching for, their efforts were futile. And their luck didn't change even when Section 13 joined in the hunt. By then, Hsi Wu could've been anywhere, though. He could be outside of San Francisco for all they knew.

In one week, Section 13 combed San Francisco thoroughly, and began combing the areas beyond. They had yet to turn up any sort of clue. This of course disheartened the Chan Clan, but they didn't lose hope. It wasn't a matter of 'if' they would find Jade, it was a matter of 'when'. Because they WOULD see Jade again, and Hsi Wu would pay dearly for what he did. That's why Uncle kept the Chi Spell ingredients ready and always at hand. Hsi Wu could rear his ugly head again at any time, and they had to be ready.

Finn popped open a can of soda as he walked back to the checkout counter. He, Chow, and Ratso were hanging out at it, since it was a slow day, and someone had to man the counter. They would all be out there looking for Jade, but Captain Black and Section 13 assured them, Tohru, Jackie, and Uncle that they were devoting much of their manpower to search for Jade, even as other crimes were being perpetrated. That didn't mean the Chans sat back and relaxed – no, Uncle and Tohru were taking their turn of searching for Jade at the moment. It would be Jackie and Ratso's turn in an hour, and Finn and Chow's the hour after that. The Chan Clan decided to always travel in pairs in their search for Jade, and to rotate throughout the day. They would rely on Captain Black and Section 13 for the search at night, but they would be up early each morning to assist the search as much as they could.

Finn sighed and leaned over the counter. He jabbed a thumb at the entrance to the backroom.

"He's still in a funk… Man, we gotta find Jade and make that Sky Demon pay…"

Chow and Ratso nodded in silent, mutual agreement. What else was there to add? They'd all been saying more or less the same thing for the past week, and they had yet to turn up anything. The situation seemed hopeless, but they couldn't give up hope, it was all they had left. So they clung to hope for dear life. They WOULD see Jade again, even if it was under Hsi Wu's terms. When Hsi Wu showed his ugly mug again, Finn, Ratso, and Chow vowed to personally make him pay, even if a Demon Sorcerer was technically out of their league. At least they had guts.

"Unc's in as much as a funk as Mr. Chan, y'know." Chow added. "He blames himself for not getting there fast enough. He thinks he could've sealed Hsi Wu away at that time."

Ratso shook his head and frowned.

"We all blame ourselves… I wish we could do more than sitting around here and twiddling our thumbs, though…"

Finn sighed.

"We all wish that, Ratso. No sense in running ourselves ragged, though. If we're all out there at once, we'll all be exhausted at once, and then no one will be searching. The rotation system is organized at least, and someone'll always be lookin' out there this way. All we can do is wait patiently and hope for the best…"

Finn, Ratso, and Chow shared a collective sigh. In the backroom, Jackie picked up a framed picture of him, Jade, Tohru, Uncle, Finn, Ratso, and Chow together, taken back when Tohru recently joined them.

"I'll find you, Jade…" Jackie murmured and placed the framed picture back on the shelf that it was on. Then he resumed his pacing. It didn't calm his nerves, but it kept him doing SOMETHING.

_At the Helm's Fish Cannery –_

Meanwhile, Shendu was doing some pacing of his own. Unlike Chan, however, he was doing it angrily and not worriedly. It had been two weeks since the release of his beloved brother Hsi Wu… two WEEKS… And they had been unsuccessful in getting the Panku Box to reveal the location of the next Demon Portal. No doubt his remaining brothers and sisters were getting restless, and Shendu detested having his quest stalled like this.

Just when Shendu was about to vent some more fury on the Enforcers for their 'incompetence', the backdoor to the fish cannery burst open. All eyes turned to the new arrival. It was raining outside, and lightning lit up the sky. Red, glowing eyes and huge wings were the telltale signs that Hsi Wu had come to visit… and he brought a guest it seemed, though they couldn't make out who it was as Hsi Wu kept them hidden behind his wings.

"Oh dearest brother…" Hsi Wu's voice sang in a singsong voice. "Look what I found…"

Hsi Wu boldly stated this as he stepped into the cannery and stepped aside for Shendu and the Enforcers to see. Hsi Wu's little visit was shocking enough, but he managed to capture THIS child?!

"Brother… how did you capture… HER…?" Shendu ground out in Valmont's body, smiling forcefully. Truthfully, he was shocked and dismayed that Hsi Wu, who he considered to be the weakest of the Demons, managed to succeed in something that he could not: deal a grievous blow to Jackie Chan. Certainly, this was only a small victory, but it was a victory that Hsi Wu had earned all the same, and Shendu envied his brother for that.

The urchin had helped in taking him down when he still had a body, and she was a constant thorn in his side. The Enforcers had a similar beef with Jade, if not moreso.

"Yeah, what's the deal, G?! We been fightin' Chan for way longer than youse, and youse just come waltzin' in here with his cheeky twerp! Not coo'!" Ice exclaimed, affronted.

Hsi Wu closed his eyes and shook his head from side to side. He wasn't in the mood for this. The Spell that kept Jade on a leash would wear off eventually, and he needed to know what to do with her before she could try and escape.

"Enough! I procured this… 'delightful' creature… after much sacrifice. My plot to take over San Francisco was shot down by Chan and his foolish family, and I barely snagged this runner-up prize. Listen, I've been trying to win this brat over, but she has proven most resilient and resistant. I've been in possession of the girl for a week, and she's not breaking down at all! Shendu, what would you suggest? Surely you are not against a partnership when we have a trump card like this! Our brethren could be freed if we kept Chan at bay with this, but I need your help!"

Shendu rubbed Valmont's chin. Hsi Wu had a point. Not taking advantage of this situation would make for a bad business decision. But Hsi Wu was just as deceitful and conniving as he was, so he had to play this carefully, even if they were brothers.

"Brother Wu, we will strike a deal, but this is quite the situation you've landed us in. Oh, we'll definitely hold this over Chan's head, but there is no doubt that Chan is out there right now with that accursed Section 13, scouring the city in search of his precious niece. We must act swiftly, because it is only a matter of time before they happen upon our current base of operations. Now, you said you had trouble making her submit to your will…?"

Hsi Wu nodded.

"Yes… Do you have something in mind, Brother Shendu?"

Shendu smirked.

"Have you considered bribing the girl?"

Hsi Wu simply scoffed and crossed his arms.

"Do you take me for a fool? I offered her the world, and she rejected it! She spouts utter nonsense about saving it from 'villains like us'! Whatever. What would YOU bribe her with?"

Shendu chuckled.

"Only one thing, Brother Wu… The Shadowkhan."

The room was so silent that you could cut the air with a butter knife.

"Are you insane?! You have the Shadowkhan at your beck and call, and you want to hand over the reins to this twerp? Besides, how do you know she would go for that?"

Shendu walked over and stroked Jade's pretty little head.

"Children are naïve, Brother Wu. This one is rebellious, and would think it 'awesome' to control the army of Shadowkhan. She wouldn't think of the ramifications. Yes, she resisted the offer of the world, but even I can tell she isn't a megalomaniac. … Not yet. No, she would use the Shadowkhan for petty, everyday things. That would appeal to her."

Hsi Wu growled.

"You're STILL insane! Out of the eight of us, you are the one that can summon the armies of Tarakudo! You would have to be insane to give that power away… And how do you know she wouldn't turn on us the second that you bestowed the power upon her? She is fiercely loyal to Jackie Chan!"

Shendu chuckled and stroked Jade's cheek. Jade was still unresponsive.

"You will see, Brother Wu. Once she gets a taste of Dark Magic, she will want more, and she can't get that from the wizard of Good Magic. Only we can help her there, and we will, if only to possess another pawn to use against Jackie Chan. His own niece will be his downfall."

Shendu cackled. Hsi Wu eyed Shendu suspiciously.

"Very well, Shendu… You may try persuading her with the Shadowkhan, but I still don't like this. I thought human children broke easily, but she has yet to crack. This child is not normal…"

Shendu clapped Valmont's hands together.

"Then let us make preparations to leave at once, brother. Time is of the essence. Slaves, come!" Shendu barked.

With that, Hsi Wu, Jade, Shendu, and the Enforcers and Hak Foo set out for Shendu's archive that held what they needed…

_Outside of Uncle's Rare Finds –_

A man totally dressed in black bemoaned his task as he was about to slip a manila envelope under the door for the Chans to find.

"We get some of the most BORING tasks…" Specter's smooth voice whined.

"Shut. Up. Do you WANT the Chans to see us, hm?" Specter's rough voice chastised.

"Hey, that might be fun… Do you think they'll really battle us? Might be a nice change of pace!" Specter was about to knock on the door when he was held back by his other persona.

"… Let's just get back to base. I can't even work up the energy to properly punish your stupidity." The rough voice grumbled and backed away from the shop.

"So you're self-critical, huh?" The smooth voice chuckled.

The rough voice didn't dignify the smooth one with a response, choosing instead to just teleport away before the Chans realized who was outside…

On the inside of Uncle's Rare Finds, it was Chow that noticed someone outside the shop. He didn't see the person slip the envelope under the door, but he did see the person mumble to himself and weirdly disappear. Despite being in the middle of a conversation with Finn and Ratso, Chow satiated his curiosity and went to pick up the manila envelope.

Seeing him pick it up, Finn said, "What ya got there, Chow?"

Chow turned the envelope over in his hands. There was no writing on the outside, and he didn't recognize the person that supposedly delivered it, so what was in it?

"I dunno. Not addressed to anyone in particular. You think we should open it, or let Mr. Chan?"

"Let me do what, Chow?"

Finn, Ratso, and Chow turned to Jackie, who was standing in the doorway to the backroom now. Chow waved the envelope back and forth.

"Someone dropped this off just now. Couldn't tell who it was, though. Think it has something to do with Jade?"

Jackie frowned, walked over, and accepted the orange envelope from Chow. He examined the contents after opening it. Inside was a map, and a white envelope. Jackie let Finn, Ratso, and Chow check out the map while he himself checked out the letter that was sent along with it. The white envelope had 'The Chans' scrawled in cursive writing on the front, but no return address.

Jackie hummed thoughtfully and carefully opened that envelope. The letter was short, concise, and written in the same flowery cursive writing that the white envelope had on the front. Essentially, the letter was straight to the point, and told Jackie factually where Jade could be found if they, the Chans, wanted to see her again, and that she was in the possession of both Hsi Wu and Shendu now. If they didn't hurry, something might happen to Jade. Something bad.

Jackie might have perceived this letter as a ransom letter, if only because Jade was being threatened in some way, yet the letter didn't elaborate exactly how she was threatened. But Hsi Wu and Shendu were being referenced in the third person, and if Chow was to be believed, the person that dropped off the letter was unrecognizable. That is, it couldn't have been Hsi Wu, Shendu, or the Dark Hand that left it. Of course, they could have 'requested' that someone drop off the letter for them, but from the way the letter sounded, Hsi Wu and Shendu were up to something, and it would be odd to arrive when the bad guys weren't technically ready for them. Yet… if some third party was involved, why would they help him and his family? What did they stand to gain?

Jackie groaned and rubbed his temples. If this was the same group that took the Panku Box, then this helpful clue was authentic, and time was of the essence. Oh, this group was suspicious, but they didn't have the time to nitpick about what help they got.

"Right… Well, let's head out, then."  
Ratso scratched the side of his head.

"Huh? What do you mean, Mr. Chan?"

Jackie neatly folded the letter and pocketed it. He motioned for Finn to hand him the map.

"We may not know about who was kind enough to give us this, but we finally have a lead on the whereabouts of Jade. And Hsi Wu and Shendu," Jackie quickly added, as he eyed the map.

Finn crossed his arms and frowned thoughtfully.

"But how do ya know this isn't some kinda trap?"

Jackie looked up and sighed wearily.

"It may very well be a trap, Finn, but we have to take that chance. It's my fault Jade got kidnapped, and I will save her no matter what it takes. We'll spring the trap and handle whatever Hsi Wu throws our way. We beat Shendu and Po Kong… We can beat Hsi Wu."

Well, it was hard to argue with that logic, though the situation still seemed slightly suspicious to Finn, Ratso, and Chow.

"Do we at least know who sent it? Was it Hsi Wu or Shendu possibly?"

Jackie shook his head, turning back toward the map.

"The sender didn't identify himself or herself. But we can worry about that later; the important thing is that we rescue Jade."

Another sentiment that Finn, Ratso, and Chow could easily agree with.

Fifteen minutes after Jackie had identified where they needed to go, Uncle and Tohru returned to the shop. Jackie and the Aides had packed there things and were just about to head out.

"Aiyah!" Uncle cried and threw his hands in the air. "Where are you off to?! Uncle must REST!"

Finn held up his hands peacefully.

"Yo, Unc! We were just about to come and find ya! We got a lead on Jade's whereabouts, so-"

Uncle shook his head and sighed wearily.

"Uncle must gather Chi ingredients…"

Finn rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"While Unc is doing that, I'm gonna stop by Section 13 real quick to grab something. I got an idea. Be right back!"

Chow, Ratso, Tohru, and Jackie stared at each other confusedly after Finn ran out of the shop.

_At Shendu's Archive –_

The trek to Shendu's Archive went uneventfully. No one cared to stir up a conversation, and Jade remained under Hsi Wu's spell. In other words, Jade was still as 'obedient' as ever.

The castle that stored Shendu's archive was situated on top of a cliff, towering over the empty forests below. It was an ancient-looking castle, and very much rundown. Made sense, as the castle remained abandoned for centuries, and only recently was it being used again by Shendu. Three towers made up the tallest points of the castle, and they were evenly spread out. On the inside, the place seemed just as bad if not worse than the outward appearance. Heavy layers of dust covered much of everything, and cobwebs were numerous in various places. It gave off the haunted house feel. Well, to the Enforcers it did, anyway.

"You got ghosts all up in here, Shendude?" Ice asked offhandedly as they treaded the halls of the castle.

Shendu didn't even dignify the self-proclaimed leader of the Enforcers with a response. Time was of the essence, and this opportunity could not be wasted. Instead, a thought occurred to Shendu, and he acted on it, giving out commands.

"Hak Foo, take the Enforcers and guard the front entrance. We will be out shortly."

Hak Foo stood at attention and proceeded to turn back around and walk back to the entrance. DJ Fist and MC Cobra willingly followed, but Ice whined to Shendu about guard duty.

"C'mon, Shendude! Who's gonna be around to fight? Ain't no one knows we're even here, dawg!"

Shendu slowly turned around and fixed Ice with a heated glare. Flames shot out of his mouth, causing Ice to instinctually dodge.

"Do as your told, insolent human! It is a simple precautionary measure. Besides, you will not be needed beyond this point."

Ice shrugged and ran off to join his posse and Hak Foo. Shendu growled in annoyance and turned back the way he, Hsi Wu, and Jade were headed. Hsi Wu chortled at the exchange.

"You need better servants, brother. I would certainly not tolerate such insubordination…"

Shendu growled again.

"And I suppose your subordinates were so skilled that they were taken down by Jackie Chan and Section 13…?" Shendu shot back.

Hsi Wu scowled.

"You might have a point, brother, but tell me… Why really send them away? They're right, you know. No one else will be here."

Shendu smirked deviously.

"All the same, I detest their company. If I must work with them, I will take advantage of situations like these, where I can be free of their human insolence even for just a while…"

Hsi Wu shook his head.

"Cold, brother… But I sympathize with you a little. Humans are not the most favorable pawns. Sister Kong would rather eat them, Sister Bai would rather submerge the world in water and not care who survived among the humans, Brothers Dai and Tchang would sooner eliminate them all, and Brother Xiao… he would use them for entertainment purposes. You work best with dragons, and I with bats. Well, mutant bats, but that goes without saying. And Brother Tso… Who knows what he would do? He, the eldest of us Demon Siblings…"

Shendu listened with half an ear as they walked to the archive. He already knew all this, but Brother Wu always liked to prattle on…

"We are here," Shendu pointed out as they entered the library. "Stay wherever you like; this will not take long."

As he said this, Shendu called forth a Shadowkhan and had it go and collect the tome for him. The Shadowkhan was fast, accurate, and swift. In thirty seconds, Shendu was holding the tome that they required.

"I suppose the Shadowkhan are more efficient than humans, as well…" Hsi Wu murmured to himself. "That will give Jade the power to summon Shadowkhan, then?"

Shendu smirked.

"The mark of Tarakudo will," Shendu said as he tapped the face on the cover of the tome. Turning to eye Jade, he said, "How long until your Spell wears off, brother? I would like to personally offer this to Jade when she is of sound mind."

Hsi Wu shrugged.

"It should wear off soon, but the spell never lasts for the same amount of time. I always give it some leeway."

Shendu growled irritably and crossed Valmont's arms impatiently. Hsi Wu always knew how to press his buttons, even when he wasn't trying to. Shendu despised that. And so the two of them waited.

While Shendu and Hsi Wu did that, the Enforcers hung out at the front door, not expecting the least bit of trouble.

"Man, this bites." Ice grumbled and kicked a piece of debris.

MC Cobra leaned against a pillar and had his arms crossed.

"I know what ya mean, dude, but Shendude's the boss. He wants us on guard detail; we don't got a choice but to obey."

DJ Fist nodded silently, never contributing to the conversation as always. Hak Foo shushed them. Ice whirled to Hak Foo and shook his fist.

"Yo! There ain't nobody out here to hear us, Hak Foo my man!"

"Quiet!" Hak Foo commanded.

Ice attempted to argue with Hak Foo more. Once again, Hak Foo shushed him. He pressed his ear to the front door as if to confirm something. Ice complained some more under his breath, but then suddenly the front door flew open, resulting in Hak Foo being catapulted across the room. This got Ice's attention as well as DJ Fist and MC Cobra's. When they turned their attention to the wide open doorway, they witnessed Jackie Chan standing there, foot still extended from kicking the door open. Ice cracked his knuckles.

"Today must be my lucky day, yo! I was gettin' bored!"

"Never mind that, you WERE bored!" MC Cobra mocked.

Ice cracked his neck now.

"Yeah, whatev. Let's get this party STARTED!"

Ice flew at Jackie, and even managed to land a tackle, surprisingly. However, through some expert maneuvering, Jackie threw Ice out of the castle with his legs. Jackie leaped to his feet and quickly shut the door behind him and locked it. Ice pounded on the door to be let back in, but of course Jackie didn't listen.

Jackie ducked when he felt DJ Fist sneak up behind him to deliver a sucker punch. DJ Fist then tried sweeping Jackie off his feet with a kick, but Jackie backflipped high in the air above DJ Fist and got behind him. Then Jackie forcefully pushed DJ Fist straight into the door. DJ Fist was a bit discombobulated now, and Jackie rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Sorry!" Jackie didn't get to say much more, because it was MC Cobra's turn to attack him now. Jackie deftly dodged the fists that were swung at him, and he returned some lightning fast jabs of his own.

MC Cobra suddenly dropped to the floor and rolled, which caught Jackie off-guard, and he fell to the floor as a result. MC Cobra quickly got back up on his feet and started viciously attacking Jackie with kicks. After taking three or four kicks, Jackie grabbed MC Cobra's foot and yanked it, causing the Enforcer to fall back down. Jackie got back to his feet and turned to the front door, when he heard DJ Fist open it to let Ice back in. DJ Fist was in for a surprise when he saw Tohru standing there. DJ Fist waved weakly before Tohru pulled him outside to be tied up by the three Aides. Jackie picked up MC Cobra by his shirt and legs, and then he tossed MC Cobra to Tohru, who handed off the third Enforcer to be tied up.

Finn wiggled his eyebrows at Chow and Ratso.

"See? Rope comes in handy!"

Chow rolled his eyes and Ratso shrugged, both choosing not to comment on Finn's 'idea'. Naively thinking it was over, Tohru, Uncle, and the three Aides entered the castle.

"Wolf slaughters big lamb!"

Tohru's eyes widened just before Hak Foo came from out of nowhere and delivered a high kick to his stomach. The kick was strong enough to send Tohru flying out the front door. The Aides surrounded Hak Foo on all sides and randomly attacked him with Kung Fu they learned from Jackie. Hak Foo was not deterred by this, and he suddenly knelt down and went around in a circle with one leg, sweeping Finn, Chow, and Ratso off their feet.

Jackie attempted to sneak up on Hak Foo from behind, but Hak Foo could sense him coming from a mile away, and the two ended up in a fist fight with some kicks thrown in for good measure. Finn, Ratso, and Chow watched this unfold for about a minute before Finn turned to Chow and Ratso and said, "… Wanna leave this guy to Mr. Chan, while we go and find Jade?"

Chow and Ratso nodded affirmatively and together, the three got back up on their feet and ran off to do just that. Uncle had already gone off to do that, and Tohru got back into the castle soon after the Aides had left. Noticing Jackie going toe to toe with Hak Foo and no one else helping him out, Tohru decided to lend a helping hand and joined the brawl.

Shendu had heard the fighting going on, and he hissed at Hsi Wu.

"Go and stall Chan! We must bestow upon Jade the gift to summon Shadowkhan before Chan is allowed to have her back!"

Hsi Wu growled at Shendu's egotistical tone.

"There is still no guarantee that she will turn to our side, brother! There is too much risk!"

Shendu hissed again.

"Do not question me! I know what I am doing! Now, go and stall!" Shendu said, making the necessary preparations for applying the mark of Tarakudo on Jade.

Hsi Wu raised an eyebrow at Shendu.

"I thought you wished to do this with Jade's approval, brother? And I don't have to do anything. I am not one of your minions."

Shendu shot a death glare at Hsi Wu.

"I refuse to let this victory that YOU have earned go to waste, brother… The Dark Magic shall corrupt Jade to her very core. She will turn to us in good time, even if we must flee before she awakens."

Hsi Wu tapped his chin with a claw. But before he could say anything else, he heard the Chi Wizard chanting, and he whipped around to face that accursed old man.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!"

Uncle was holding a concoction, and Chow was holding a flute in his hand. Green energy zapped the flute, and Uncle nodded firmly while saying, "Sound the flute!"

Before Chow could do so, Hsi Wu plowed into him, knocking the flute away and flying past him, Uncle, Finn, and Ratso.

"Every Demon for himself!" Hsi Wu hastily cried, flying down the hallway to freedom.

Shendu tsk'ed irritably at his brother's cowardice, but at least the deed was done. The mark of Tarakudo was now planted on Jade's arm. Pulling down the sleeve so that Uncle and the Aides would not see it, Shendu chuckled darkly and proceeded to tear a hole into the wall with brute strength before leaping through it and making his own getaway, the tome safely in his grasp. Ratso and Finn gave chase after him, since he ran past them, but Chow and Uncle thought better of it and checked up on Jade.

Chow waved a hand in front of Jade's blank stare.

"Earth to Jade?" Chow switched to snapping his fingers, but it still wasn't getting a response. He looked up at Uncle for answers.

Uncle rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Jade is under a spell… Uncle will need to examine Jade to discover which spell, and how to counter it."

Chow nodded numbly and turned back to Jade.

"Yeah… I guess the important thing is that she's safe and back with us… Don't worry Jade, we'll get ya back home…" Chow consoled her, even though Jade couldn't hear him at the moment. Chow turned to Uncle slightly once more. "It's kinda bizarre, though… Shendu leaving Jade like this? Something smells fishy."

Uncle snorted and motioned for Chow to bring Jade with them.

"Uncle must do research. Come."

Chow nodded minutely and picked Jade up. He also picked up the flute that Hsi Wu had callously knocked aside. Then he followed Uncle out of the library and back to the entrance.

Back at the entrance, Jackie, Hak Foo, and Tohru were still battling. Shendu dashed to the exit and halted long enough to wave over Hak Foo.

"Hak Foo! We are leaving!"

Unwittingly, Hak Foo kicked Tohru towards the front door again, and that resulted in Tohru plowing into Shendu and forcing Shendu to accidentally drop the book inside of the castle. Hak Foo delivered one more swift kick to Jackie when he got too close. Then Hak Foo made a break for the door and hopped over Tohru outside. Shendu shoved Tohru off of him and looked for the tome frantically.

"Where is it?!"

Ice, who had been untied by Hak Foo, called out to his boss.

"Yo! Shendude, we're blowing this joint! Youse on your own if you wanna stick around!"

Shendu hissed and took one last look around for the tome. Thinking that it possibly fell into the abyss that surrounded the castle, Shendu decided to retreat for now, and he was right behind MC Cobra and DJ Fist, who were also set free by Hak Foo. He would return for the priceless artifact later.

Inside, Jackie had noticed Shendu drop the book, and so he went over to check the book out. The book's text was unreadable to Jackie, so he snapped the book shut after skimming a few pages. Finn and Ratso ran up to Jackie a few moments later, out of breath.

"We're sorry, Mr. Chan… We managed to get Jade back, but Shendu and Hsi Wu escaped."

Jackie sighed in relief and shook his head.

"That's fine for now. The important thing is that Jade is back with us. Plus, Shendu dropped this on his way out." Jackie gave a small grin and held up the tome. "Perhaps Uncle will be able to decipher its contents."

Everyone but Uncle nodded. Uncle just grumbled about having to do 'MORE research!' Getting a closer look at Jade, Finn rubbed his chin nervously and said, "Jadester's just snoozing, right?"

"Of course! She'll wake up eventually," Chow assured everyone. Uncle looked like he wanted to correct Chow, but was stopped by Tohru, who wanted to keep spirits high.

Having successfully rescued Jade, the Chan Clan returned home.

_At Uncle's Rare Finds –_

Early the next day, Jade finally woke up. Her family had gotten her home, waited a little bit to see if she would wake up, and then put her to bed. If she didn't wake up the next day, Uncle was going to examine her and do some tests. Uncle outright refused Section 13's help to examine her because Jade was in the hands of Demon Sorcerers, and so any issues she had would have been Magic-related. Fortunately, Jade did wake up.

From the moment Jade woke up, she felt drowsy and fuzzy. She tried to recall what happened to her to make her feel this way, but in her current state, Jade's brain was mush. Shrugging tiredly, Jade decided that she'd just get ready for school and try to jog her memory along the way. As she made her way to the bathroom, Jade failed to notice the Shadowkhan surrounding her; there were about three or four in various places: The ceiling, crouched on the floor, tailing close behind her.

It was so bad that Jade didn't even register them helping her brush her teeth and hair. She was too busy trying to jog her memory.

As Jade was preparing for school, Jackie chose this time to come and check up on Jade in her room. Knocking softly on her door, he said, "Jade…? Are you okay?" And when he didn't get a response, Jackie quietly cracked the door open to look in on her. To say he was surprised to see the sheets undone and no one in the bed would be a massive understatement. Jackie stepped into the room to do a double take and get a more thorough look. There was no Jade to be found, and this worried Jackie immensely.

Just as he was about to turn around and check the bathroom to be one hundred percent certain that Jade hadn't just disappeared, he heard a small yawn and then a chirpy, cheerful voice behind him.

"Morning, Uncle Jackie!"

Jackie nearly leaped two feet in the air at the suddenness of the greeting. Turning around and pounding his chest in an attempt to calm his racing heart, Jackie breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Jade standing there. Alone. Looking no worse for the wear.

"Oh… Jade… Please, don't do that." Jackie half-whined. Noticing her neat looks, he said, "Are you going somewhere?"

Jade lazily raised an eyebrow at Jackie.

"It's a school day, isn't it?"

Jackie shook his head.

"It's Saturday, Jade. Use today and tomorrow to rest, and we'll see how you're doing on Monday."

Jade blinked profusely.

"Rest? What from? I'm just a little tired." Jade mumbled.

Jackie looked at Jade incredulously and crossed his arms.

"… Don't you remember what happened, Jade?"

Jade smothered a yawn with her hand and rubbed her right eye.

"Uncle Jackie, I feel like a wreck. I didn't even know what day it was until you said it."

Jackie frowned at the implications. She would still need to be checked out by Uncle.

"W-Well… Get some rest, and I'll have your favorite breakfast for you when you get up again. No need to be up and about just yet."

Jade raised an eyebrow.

"What happened, Uncle Jackie? I'll remember eventually."

Jackie groaned.

"Fine, but you have to promise to get back to bed afterwards."

Jade numbly nodded, not feeling like arguing at the moment. Jackie filled her in, and it all came back to her like a speeding locomotive. Every last thing Hsi Wu did to her while she was consciously aware of it… She remembered it all.

And then she fainted.

Jackie picked her up worriedly and took her downstairs. Uncle needed to take a look at her. Unbeknownst to Jackie and the rest of the Chan Clan, however, another sinister force had arrived just outside the shop.

With each step the hunchbacked man took, a metal clanking could be heard. He had gone to the castle to retrieve the one-of-a-kind tome that Shendu possessed, but he had been tardy to the party, so to speak. Not one to give up easily, the ancient man performed a locator Spell to find the book he sought, and it had led him here to Uncle's Rare Finds.

Narrowing his eyes, Xie attempted to enter the shop, but was thrown back forcefully as a barrier revealed itself with a green light. Testing the barrier further, Xie blasted Dark Magic at it. The barrier withstood the blast without getting so much as a scratch. Growling irritably, the metal tail that usually stayed hidden in the confines of Xie's cloak inched out little by little and lashed out in exasperation as Xie glared at the shop. This resulted in slight pain for Xie, as the tail made contact with the shop. Then Xie reeled in the metal tail and grunted impatiently.

Xie HATED to keep people waiting. But in this instance, he had no choice. Obviously, the Chi Wizard had erected some ultimate barrier that kept out any and all things that were tainted with Dark Magic, including people, obviously. He was not going to just give up. Sturdy barrier or not, Xie was going to retrieve that tome. He would wait for an opportune time to snatch up a hostage if need be. Or, if luck was on his side, they would be so foolish as to bring the book out into the open. Xie didn't particularly care, as long as he fulfilled his quota.

And so he made his way to a nearby alleyway and waited. Impatiently.

Back inside, Uncle was running a cursory examination of Jade's body before resorting to Spells. What he found on Jade's arm alarmed him, to say the least.

"AIIIYYYAAAH!"

This outcry caused Jackie and Tohru to panic in turn. The Aides had not yet shown up for work yet.

"What's wrong, Sensei?"

"How bad is it, Uncle?"

Uncle waved them off and picked up the tome and immediately opened it up.

"Uncle must do research! The mark that is on this book," Uncle tapped the face of Tarakudo on the front, "is the same mark that is on Jade's right arm. Uncle does not recognize the symbol, but it cannot be good! Tohru, Uncle needs you to examine Jade further and make sure there is nothing else."

Tohru complied, and Jackie nervously combed his hand through his jet black hair.

"And what can I do to be of assistance, Uncle?"

Uncle did not look up from his reading as he gave his answer.

"Uncle will require tea. Leave Tohru and Uncle to do research.

Jackie was about to protest, but Uncle thwacked him with a two finger strike across the forehead. Jackie rubbed his forehead.

"Make tea!" Uncle repeated firmly.

Jackie reluctantly went to do that, leaving Tohru and Uncle to their work in peace.

Meanwhile, in the depths of Jade's mind, Jade was having the most intriguing of encounters.

"Hello?" Jade called out helplessly.

Jade's mindscape appeared blank to her; white as far as the eye could see. There was only Jade, or at least, that's what Jade perceived from her perspective. She appeared to be alone in a seemingly infinite expanse of… nothing.

That is, until a blob of black came from out of nowhere and took her form, albeit wearing nothing but black. This new Jade had a different aura about her, too. Jade couldn't put her finger on it, but this 'Jade' just didn't carry the same air of mischievousness about her. There was something dark about her, something that she felt that she herself lacked.

"No one here but me, myself, and I." The black-clothed Jade smirked. She crossed her arms and awaited the naïve questions to start spewing out of Jade's mouth.

She didn't have to wait long.

"Where is 'here'? Why do you look like me? And why am I here?"

The black Jade put up a bored façade, even though she was truly amused at this turn of events.

"Well… If you must know, we're currently in your mindscape. You're unconscious at the moment, due to natural causes. There's usually stuff going on in here, but I thought for the sake of your sanity, I'd temporarily move us somewhere where there's no distractions. Just us." Not a total lie, but there was nothing 'natural' about the causes for Jade fainting. "Second… I guess you can call me your real self. I'm your craftier side that comes out to play whenever you play a prank, or tag along without Uncle Jackie's permission."

Jade rolled her eyes at that.

"Like I need Uncle Jackie's permission. I've saved him on more than one occasion, y'know."

The black Jade chuckled.

"I suppose that's true… We're just a can of awesome waiting to be popped open, aren't we?"

Jade nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh yeah! Uncle Jackie would be totally lost without us!"

The two Jades shared a laugh and a high five. When the laughter died down, the black Jade smirked again.

"Hey… I got a little tiny favor to ask. Do you mind letting me take over for a bit? That Sky Demon tortured us for so long, I've kinda got some pent-up energy that I gotta release. Stretch my legs a little, y'know?"

Jade raised an eyebrow at her counterpart.

"If you're me, what do you need my permission for? This is weird enough as it is."

The black Jade shrugged nonchalantly and kept looking at Jade seriously.

"Just humor me, okay? I've never had to ask for permission before, and I just wanna be polite."

Jade shook her head.

"Whatever. Do what you want. If I'm unconscious, I can't do anything to stop you."

The black Jade beamed appreciatively.

"Thanks! You won't regret it."

With that, the black Jade turned back into a blob and vanished as suddenly as she appeared. Jade sighed resignedly as she floated in the seemingly empty void of her mind. She really wished she could see the mischief she would most likely cause. It didn't dawn on her that she was in complete control of herself the rest of the times she caused Uncle Jackie trouble…

While the meeting within her mind felt like mere minutes, she was actually physically unconscious for two hours. In this time, Jade's family worried over her immensely.

"Are you sure there's nothing more that I can do, Uncle?"

Uncle sighed wearily and looked up from his reading.

"Uncle is doing his best to decipher text. This book contains many secrets of Dark Magic, and it is structured differently than many of Uncle's Spell Books. Uncle has not come across any relevant secrets for Jade."

Tohru stood over Jade, having completed looking her over.

"At least there is nothing else of concern. The only mark is the one on her right arm. Once we remove that, and any effects that this mark may have, Jade should be back to normal."

Jackie shook his head and placed his hands on the counter and leaned on it.

"Can't we just wash it off, then? Why wait?"

Uncle moved to thwack him upside the head, but Jackie wasn't within reaching distance.

"Magic must defeat Magic. Uncle must devise removal potion, but Uncle must first research mark."

Tohru clarified for Jackie.

"We don't know what will happen if we try to remove the mark by ordinary means, Jackie. It's potentially dangerous to remove the mark, and then find out that the effects are still there even after it's gone. By removing it with a potion, Uncle ensures that we remove both the mark and its effects. We're not even sure what effect this mark is having on Jade now; on the surface, she appears comatose, but there could be much more going on inside of her that we don't know about."

Jackie groaned. And so they would impatiently wait for Uncle to get through the book and find answers. Well, Jackie would. Tohru had a better appreciation for research; Jackie didn't. Jackie was an action guy. Oh, he was much tamer about it than Jade, who would jump into any situation without any forethought, but he still wasn't as research-oriented as Uncle and Tohru. He wanted to fix the problem as quickly as possible, so waiting was especially hard for him.

Two hours later, Jackie was very relieved when Jade's eyes snapped open and she sat up smoothly.

"Jade!"

Jade didn't respond to Jackie; she just looked around the room slowly. She saw Jackie, Uncle, Tohru… and the tome, sitting on the countertop. Then, like a light switch, Jade turned on her 'perky' personality.

"Hi, Uncle Jackie!"

From there, Jackie asked her several questions, making sure she was okay, and she answered each one perfectly. That only further relieved Jackie.

Tohru and Uncle were a bit more concerned than relieved. From what Jackie had told her, Jade had woken up this morning groggily, and with no memory of what had happened to her. Of course, they chalked it up to trauma, but what if there was more to it? Jade seemed to be back to her usual self now, but that was AFTER losing consciousness again for two more hours.

Uncle narrowed his eyes. Turning to Tohru, he said, "Uncle will continue to do research. This situation is veeery fishy!" Tohru could only agree wholeheartedly. As of now, it seemed Jade hadn't been through anything traumatic at all, and asking her might make her have a relapse, and no one wanted that. So Tohru and Uncle got back to research without talking to Jade.

"Hey, Uncle Jackie… Could I go to the movies with Finn, Ratso, and Chow? I wanna go and do something."

Well, how could Jackie say 'no' to that? Jade seemed to be okay now, and everything was right with the world.

"Sure, Jade. I'll call them right now."

Jade batted her eyes.

"And would you mind coming with us, Uncle Jackie?"

Here Jackie could not yield. As much as he'd like to join her, Jackie had a 'personal matter' to attend to. Translation: Find Shendu and get some answers out of him. There was the chance that something could happen to Jade if that strange mark stayed on her arm, after all. And if Uncle and Tohru couldn't find the solution, then the only way to cure Jade, if there was anything to cure, would be through Shendu, who branded her in the first place.

"I'm sorry, Jade, but I can't right now. I've got some work at Section 13 to do, and it can't wait. But don't worry, Finn, Ratso, and Chow will watch over you. We'll go out for dinner tonight, okay?"

Jade appeared dejected by this news, but attempted to hide it behind a bright smile.

"Okay!"

Fifteen minutes later, the Aides and Jade were leaving Uncle's Rare Finds. Xie observed this, but his locator Spell didn't react to the four leaving the shop. Grumbling in annoyance, Xie waited even more. Though he could swear there was something 'off' with the small one. Xie decided to wait for his target to come out into the open. They would make a mistake at some point, and he would pounce on that opportunity. He could easily kidnap those four people and demand the tome as ransom, but that foreboding feeling that he got from the small one made him have second thoughts. He wasn't sure why he got such an ominous feeling from the brat, though.

Jackie exited the shop a few minutes later, and Xie was just about ready to pounce on him and take him hostage, but thought better of it and continued to wait. He was Jackie Chan; if he didn't get to wherever he was going, then that would alert Section 13 and that Chi Wizard whelp. Xie thought he could take on both parties, if he could take care of them one at a time. But together, the two forces might be able to defeat him. Either way, Xie would not risk it. The Jyutlong would just have to wait for their gift, even though Xie hated to keep anyone waiting.

The trip to the movie theater went uneventfully, as did the movie itself. Jade naturally picked out a thriller that was action-packed, and contained many explosions. Only on their way back did anything happen.

Now Jade had been acting normally to keep her family off her back. Truth be told, her happy demeanor was all a façade, and she really wanted to ditch Finn, Ratso, and Chow so that she could contemplate what she wanted to do with her newfound powers. Jade hated her indecisiveness. She was tempted to go for world domination, but that was so cliché, and that would pit her against her family. On the other end of the spectrum, just keeping quiet about her powers was an absolute bore. Sure, she could stealthily hide the fact that she controlled hordes of Shadowkhan, to the end of her days in fact, but it would get annoying to look over her shoulder every time that she wanted to consult with her minions. However, she just knew that her family would have a collective hernia if they discovered her abilities with Dark Magic, and would work to 'cure' her when she didn't want to be cured. Not that Uncle and Tohru weren't already researching, but that discovery would make her life extremely difficult.

So, if she didn't want world domination, and was torn between showing off her powers and hiding them, what could she do? Having the Shadowkhan secretly help out her family in their clashes against the Dark Hand sounded tantalizing, but then her family might get suspicious and trace it all back to her. Jade may be a child, but she wasn't stupid. No matter how carefully she played it, it could still get traced back to her. And besides, why make enemies of potential allies?

… Wow. Did she seriously just think that with a straight face? Well, Shendu would know about the intricacies of the dark arts… But no. No matter what, Jade would not change sides, if she could help it. If her family found out about the Shadowkhan, then that would be the only time that she would flee, out of self-preservation. Jade may have locked her 'gentler' side away, but that didn't mean she lost sight of the importance of family. She just absolutely did not want to lose control of the Shadowkhan; that took precedence before everything else, even family. Beyond preserving her powers, Jade didn't know what she wanted to do. But she would come up with something, eventually.

Finally coming to the decision that she was being too quiet around Finn, Ratso, and Chow on their way back home, Jade mischievously smirked and tapped Chow's hand.

"Tag! You're it!"

Chow, Finn, and Ratso watched her retreating back dumbly. That was totally unexpected and random. By the time they had registered that Jade had run off, it had been a few minutes, and Jade was blocks away from them now. She hadn't anticipated them hesitating like that, but she was going to have some fun, even if they ganged up on her. If they wanted to catch her, they'd have to work for it, though.

Noticing a ladder that led to the roof of a building, Jade thought a rooftop chase would be a perfect way to entertain herself. Of course, there'd have to be other nearby buildings for that to happen, and that appeared to be the case, so Jade tried her luck, quickly shooting up the ladder.

However, in her hurry to climb the ladder before Finn, Ratso, and Chow showed up, Jade slipped on a step, and Jade lost her grip on the ladder as a result. As she fell, Jade cursed her luck. Shadowkhan would undoubtedly catch her. And if the Aides saw the Shadowkhan, then she'd be put under heavy scrutiny. But she was too late in sending out the mental order; four Shadowkhan were already precisely beneath her. As soon as they caught her, Finn, Ratso, and Chow ran up to the group of Shadowkhan and Jade. Of course, the sight of the Shadowkhan delicately handling Jade, smoothing her clothes and any misplaced hairs, and gently placing her on the ground made them screech to a halt and stare in shock, but as quickly as they appeared, the Shadowkhan vanished. Now it was just Jade and the Aides again.

Jade grinned nervously.

"Uh… What's up, guys?" The nervous laugh didn't help. The Aides kept staring.

"Did… Did you just use the Shadowkhan to save you from falling?" Finn asked hesitantly, wanting to believe it was all a mirage.

"N-No!" Jade denied. It was true. Her minions saved her of their own accord.

And suddenly, the shock wore off, and Finn grabbed Jade by the wrist.

"C'mon, we're going to see Uncle about this…"

Jade paled. This could only end in the worst case scenario. The one thing that kept her from running was the possibility that her family might accept her new powers, and not attempt to cure her.

"Hot-cha! Jade can summon Shadowkhan! We must cure her quicklyyy!"

… Of course, that possibility was practically nonexistent…

"But how do you know that she has that power, Uncle? Finn, Ratso, and Chow… are you sure about what you saw?"

Ah, Uncle Jackie to the rescue. Maybe he could convince everyone else.

Uncle held up the book with Tarakudo's face on it.

"This book is EVIL! Book contains many secrets of Dark Magic, and speaks of one's ability to summon Shadowkhan minions, if one has this mark!" Uncle tapped the face on the cover for emphasis. "If we do not erase the mark quickly, Jade will be corrupted by EVIIILLL!"

Chow supported Uncle.

"We know what we saw, Mr. Chan. Jade tried to climb a ladder, fell, and was caught by Shadowkhan! And they didn't kidnap her, either! They even groomed her a little before leaving…"

Ratso and Finn nodded in silent agreement. Tohru rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry, Jackie… Jade is in danger; Sensei is never wrong when it comes to Magic."

Jackie groaned theatrically, but accepted that they did need to remove the mark anyway. He wasn't sure if he believed the 'Shadowkhan summoning' bit yet, but if Tohru said she was in danger…

"Alright. Do you have any idea as to how to remove the mark, Uncle?"

Uncle nodded gravely.

"Uncle has just started preparing it. In the meantime, it will be up to you to keep Jade near, Jackie. Jade will want to keep her army of Shadowkhan minions, but that is too risky."

Jackie massaged his temple with one hand, but nodded all the same.

"Yes, Uncle… Jade, I hope you… Jade?"

All the adults looked around for Jade, but noticed the only child in the room was now gone. Jade was no fool; she knew that the others would convince Jackie, eventually. So while their attention wasn't on her, Jade snatched the book after Uncle had set it back down and made a break for it when all eyes were on Jackie. She made it out of the shop without them knowing about it.

Of course, she didn't make it very far before Jackie, Finn, Ratso, and Chow were on her tail and catching up to her. Jade was fast, but they had longer strides. Jade hated to pull the Shadowkhan card on them now, but if she didn't, she would lose her powers later, and Jade was desperate to not lose them. Four Shadowkhan materialized behind Jade and got into fighting stances. Jackie's face only became more determined.

"I'll handle these guys. Go around, and I'll catch up!"

Finn, Ratso, and Chow agreed and complied. They ran around once Jackie had the enemy's attention solely on him.

Jackie expertly kicked two Shadowkhan into a brick wall, forcing them to dispel. The other two charged at him, yet Jackie did a backflip to gain some ground on them. The two silent 'ninjas' continued their advance, but one met its end when it ran into Jackie's fist, and the other when Jackie tripped it by spinning his leg around while crouching. Wasting no time, Jackie hurried to catch up with the Aides.

Xie watched this with dark amusement. The child had his target, and could apparently summon the infamous Shadowkhan. Very interesting. He sat back and observed the 'great' Jackie Chan do what he does best, and then proceeded to tail them all, moving to the roofs so he wouldn't be spotted. If the girl could summon Shadowkhan at will, then her family was likely to fail in retrieving her. Xie would watch these battles and gain valuable intel on his potential enemy's fighting style. And then he would follow the girl and get what he sought. There was no rush when he might anger the Shadowkhan summoner when she was irritated already.

Jackie caught up to the Aides, only to find out that they were preoccupied… with twenty Shadowkhan. Jade was nowhere to be seen, but that was to be expected by now.

"Finn, which way did Jade go?"

Finn grunted and caused a Shadowkhan to dispel after kicking it.

"Still running in the same direction! But… Can you help us out here? I don't think we can take down all these guys…"

Jackie frowned, but nodded. A horde of Shadowkhan like this one could seem overwhelming. Once he entered the fray, he and the Aides cut down seven Shadowkhan in a joint effort. There were still twelve, however, so they were still outnumbered.

"Talismans would be pretty good about now!" Chow half-whined.

Jackie mule-kicked a Shadowkhan in the chest and grunted.

"I know, Chow, but we'll have to make due!" Jackie said while dishing out an uppercut.

Ratso manhandled two Shadowkhan, spun around, and threw them at two more Shadowkhan nearby. Finn pumped his fist in the air, unwittingly knocking out another one.

"Way to go, Ratso! Uh… Whoops?" Finn said, realizing what he'd done.

Jackie chuckled and jump-kicked two more.

"No, we've leveled the playing field! I'll leave you three to deal with the remaining ones! I'm going to try and catch up to Jade!"

With that said, Jackie sped off in the direction Jade had gone earlier. Surprisingly, he did catch up to her; she was leaning on a wall to catch her breath.

"Jade!" Jackie called out.

Jade turned and growled. Curse her small, feeble body… Uncle Jackie had caught up…

"Jade, please! We only want to help you!"

Jade hunched over momentarily. When she turned around, she was blue, had sharper teeth, and had glowing red eyes. She started levitating in the air and lifted her arms grandiosely.

"I do not need your 'help'! Leave me alone!"

As she said this, more Shadowkhan were emerging from nearby shadows. Even more than the last batch. Jackie winced at the number she was summoning; they wouldn't stop coming. Jackie held his hand out helplessly.

"Jade! Please stop!"

Jade hissed in retort. Allowing two Shadowkhan to take her by the arms, she melted into the shadows along with them, leaving Jackie alone with more than thirty Shadowkhan.

Jackie stood stock-still and paled considerably.

"Jade…"

In the void known as the Shadow Realm, Jade finally deemed herself safe, though she kept her Shadowkhan minions at her side, as she intended to think over her options, and then proceed to go elsewhere.

It didn't take long for her to make up her mind. Her family made nuisances of themselves and proved that they would not accept the new Jade without so much as allowing her to have a say in the matter. She wasn't even going to lift a finger against them or do anything 'evil'. Well, not YET, anyway. Jade still had no clue what to do with her new powers. Yes, she was against world domination at the moment, but would she be against the thought forever?

Growling in irritation, Jade acknowledged that anything was possible, though world domination was so cliché. Not even ruling San Fran with an iron fist sounded tantalizing. So what should she do? She was no longer a mere mortal, so there was no need to do something so droll like 'go to school' or 'grow up and get a job'. Jade could do anything she wanted with the powers she had. But wouldn't it be awesome to master her powers and learn about any others that she might possess?

Finally coming to a decision, she hissed at her minions.

"Take me to Shendu at once!"

_At the Helm's Fish Cannery – _

Shendu, Hsi Wu, and the Dark Hand had long since returned to base. Ever since their sound 'defeat', the two Demon siblings had been at each other's throats. Shendu was furious that Hsi Wu had run with his tail between his legs like that, and Hsi Wu was livid now that they no longer possessed Jade. Of course, Shendu was also mad after losing his precious book, but he vented that out on Hsi Wu, too.

Hsi Wu and Shendu had been bickering for hours now, and the 'muscle' was more than fed up with it. But they didn't dare speak up, lest Shendu and/or Hsi Wu silence them for good. And so the Enforcers grudgingly put up with the banter. Hak Foo was okay with it, as they were just exchanging heated words. If it came to blows, Hak Foo might get out of dodge, but at the moment they were just words.

"I assure you, Brother Wu, there's nothing to worry about! The child will come to us!"

Hsi Wu wagged a clawed pointer finger at Valmont's body.

"There is no guarantee, brother! What if she turns the Shadowkhan against us, hm?!

Shendu was very close to breathing fire at his winged brother, but he kept his cool and maintained his composure. The child would come in time.

"What if the Chi Wizard fixed everything?"

… Now Shendu had doubts. The Chi Wizard could be very resourceful.

"I very much doubt that, Brother Wu," Shendu stated, putting on a fake smile. "To 'fix' her this quickly, he would need the book. Which he should not have…"

"Yet what if he does, Shendu?! You said that you lost the book, didn't you? What if they have both the child and the book, right this second?"

Shendu hissed.

"What if, what if, what if… What if you're wrong, Hsi Wu? I tire of your pessimism! If the worst case scenario happens, we shall join forces to bring Jackie Chan down! My quest to release the others can wait a little longer, since the Panku Box has been unresponsive."

Satisfied that Shendu at least accepted the possibility that things did not go his way, Hsi Wu stopped voicing his concerns at long last. After all, such arrogance would lead to his brother's downfall, right? It was just Hsi Wu's way of 'helping' his brother out.

No more than five minutes later did Jade show up with a Shadowkhan entourage. Shendu smirked at Hsi Wu victoriously, and Hsi Wu just watched with wary curiosity.

"Shendu! I have come for an alliance!"

Shendu was thrilled, to say the least. He stepped forward in Valmont's body and smirked arrogantly.

"Well, what can I do for you? I no longer control the Shadowkhan, so how can I possibly assist you?"

Jade scowled.

"Do not play games with me, Shendu. I wish to understand this book, and know all about the powers I now possess. Name your price."

At first, surprise clouded Valmont's face; Shendu was not expecting Jade to have the book. But then, maybe the Chans did retrieve it after their scuffle. But returning back to his confident demeanor, Shendu rubbed Valmont's chin contemplatively.

"Section 13."

All present in the room bar Shendu and the Shadowkhan appeared floored that Shendu would request such a thing. Jade had been expecting for Shendu to ask for Jackie's head on a silver platter, not this. Of course, both she and Shendu knew that she would attempt to barter if he had requested that. No, with that one, simple request, Shendu had asked for the next best thing. He did not say that Section 13 personnel had to be taken out; just that he wanted Section 13 in his possession. And if Section 13 couldn't help out Jackie anymore, then Jackie lost a very powerful ally. But more than that, it was one step closer to Jackie Chan finally being defeated. Shendu had went for the jugular.

Jade's mouth turned into a thin line. She didn't like helping the bad guys out, but she did wish to comprehend what lay within the Archive.

"Fine. But you're going to be handing the Talismans over, too. I might like to use those later."

Shendu bowed graciously.

"Your wish is my command. You only have to take over Section 13 for us."

"Come. I shall do this for you now."

Hsi Wu frowned, not liking one bit the way Jade seemed so accepting of this task. There was no way she'd ACTUALLY betray her own ally, right?

_At Section 13 –_

Way.

Hsi Wu gaped at the effectiveness of the Shadowkhan. In one short half hour, Jade had unleashed the Shadowkhan on her former friends. The invasion was quick and decisive. Hundreds of Shadowkhan stormed the halls of the secret government institution; leaving not one secret agent to freely walk around. When one or two Shadowkhan were dispelled by employees, three more would take their place. It was a nonviolent and nonfatal massacre. Section 13 personnel were stored in the very cells that they guarded.

Not even Captain Black could hold off the Shadowkhan forever. Oh, it took more Shadowkhan to hold him down, but eventually he, too, was imprisoned. Only when all personnel were locked away did Jade finally enter Section 13 and walk about like she owned the joint. Well, she kind of did, now.

Wasting no time, Jade had the Shadowkhan start to renovate the place, make it more to her liking. She also changed into more befitting clothes for a 'queen'. That's what she was now: the Queen of the Shadowkhan. And no one would take that title away from her. Ever.

Jade now wore a black, sleeveless gown with a purple shoulder piece with four appendages in the back that were like bat wings. It made her appear more dark and ominous, to match how she felt on the inside.

An elaborate throne was set up, and golden statues were moved in. Two lines of Shadowkhan were on either side of Jade's throne, and Hsi Wu and Shendu behind her. Hak Foo and the Enforcers were not allowed near the throne, at least for the time being. Jade sat at the throne, the Archive opened up before her, and the Talismans in a bowl to Jade's right. Grasping the armrests of her throne, Jade hissed.

"I have done as you asked… Now, to fulfill your end of the bargain, Shendu, Hsi Wu. As Demon Sorcerers, you two have knowledge of Dark Magic like no one else! I want this knowledge, and I want to comprehend this Archive, so speak!"

Hsi Wu was still reeling from how Jade had taken control of Section 13 with just a snap of her fingers, so Shendu was forced to step up.

"I can, and will, translate that entire volume for you, Your Highness, but why don't we leave the theory for you to study later, and jump right to the practical side of Dark Magic? I could teach you to summon dragons…"

Jade's brow furrowed, and Hsi Wu snarled.

"But wait… Didn't your dragons get sealed away by my dear Uncle…?"

Shendu winced slightly, but didn't back down.

"I can teach you a portal Spell that will enable you to travel across different dimensions, as long as you know the coordinates. It will create a new portal in the dimension where my dragon minions reside; regrettably, I cannot perform the Spell myself…"

Jade waved her hand dismissively, hissing.

"I do not desire dragon minions, anyway. Keep your Spell. I want to understand this book!"

Hsi Wu smirked and finally stepped forward. This girl was like putty in their hands, so he was not going to waste this opportunity!

"I may not own the book, Your Highness, but I can give you a rough translation. If you would allow me to do this for you…?"

Jade appeared to contemplate this for a moment, and then nodded.

"Very well, Hsi Wu. But read the book aloud to me, word for word. I do not trust you to tell the truth on paper."

Hsi Wu slightly bowed, and then picked up the book. Shendu scowled. This was not how things were supposed to go! Hsi Wu was getting in her good graces!

"Your Highness, would you not prefer a more precise translation? Hsi Wu may have enough knowledge to get the general gist of it, but I…"

Jade shook her head and pointed accusingly at Shendu.

"You had your chance. I will allow you to teach me Spells after Hsi Wu has read the Archive to me. You may correct Hsi Wu as he goes along, but you may not touch the book unless given permission!"

Shendu crossed Valmont's arms and grumbled. He had his work cut out for him, if he wanted to get back on Jade's good side. He thought she'd find the suggestion of dragon minions to be tempting. She would have made a fitting heir, unlike his rebellious son Drago…

Hsi Wu started to recite the Archive word for word to Jade. He would not lie to the girl, because Shendu would know, and then he would be a snitch, spoiling everything. No, Hsi Wu would befriend this 'Queen of the Shadowkhan', and then he'd be able to use her, so long as he had something to offer in return. He was the reason that any of this was possible at all. He had a right to manipulate Jade. If that meant breaking all ties with Shendu later, then so be it.

While Hsi Wu and Shendu were plotting to manipulate Jade, and Jade was brainstorming future 'career paths' and listening intently to Hsi Wu's oral report on the Archive, Captain Black was calling Jackie on his cell phone.

"_Uncle?"_

Captain Black answered in the negative.

"It's Black. I don't know how, but we've been infiltrated by ninja. There seems to be no end to them, and this has the Dark Hand's fingerprints all over it."

"_Alright… We'll be there soon."_

Jackie hung up, and so Captain Black did so, too. Now all he could do was wait.

_In the streets of San Francisco –_

Jackie held his phone as he looked at Finn, Ratso, and Chow. They had finished defeating the horde of Shadowkhan that Jade had left them not too long ago, and now this came up.

"Jade has invaded Section 13." Jackie didn't wait for a reply, and dialed the number for Uncle's Rare Finds. "Tohru? Is that potion almost ready?"

"_Yes. It needs a little more preparation time, and then it will be complete, Jackie. Have you found Jade?"_

"Unfortunately, Jade has invaded Section 13… Finn, Ratso, Chow, and I will go and buy you some time, but please be there soon!"

Jackie and Tohru wished each other luck, and then hung up simultaneously.

"But why would Jade invade Section 13? That sounds like something Shendu would do!" Finn pointed out.

Chow shrugged, frowning.

"Every queen needs a palace, right?"

Ratso shook his head.

"Let's just go, you guys. Jade needs us!"

The four rushed off to Section 13 without another word…

_At Section 13 –_

Jade had called for a brief break from her lesson, and sent Hsi Wu and Shendu away, tiring of the constant bickering. Hsi Wu was translating just fine, but Shendu was nitpicking and making a real nuisance of himself. And Hsi Wu was rising to the bait and snapping back at Shendu. Now the two were having a heated argument in private, according to her Shadowkhan, and someone new had just infiltrated the base.

"Do not lock up the new visitor yet. I wish to see what business this man has with us…"

The Shadowkhan stood at attention, not one of them disobeying their Queen. A few minutes later, her hunchbacked 'guest' slowly approached the throne.

"Greetings, Your Highness. I humbly request an audience with you, if you would be so gracious…?" Xie's deep voice reverberated throughout the massive room.

Jade leaned on one arm and looked dully at Xie.

"Enough with the pleasantries. You have the gall to enter my new domain, so please, speak your mind, and perhaps I will give an ear."

"I am honored, Your Highness… My name is Xie, and I am heralded throughout the world as the very first Dark Chi Wizard." Xie boldly introduced himself. "For centuries I have walked the earth, doing battles with 'Good' Chi Wizards, and mastering my own abilities to an art form. I will confess: I have watched you go from a simple human child to a Queen in one day. You are young, and yet you harbor so much potential, Your Highness. I beseech you to allow me to apprentice you, and teach you all that I know."

Jade's brow furrowed, and she remained leaning on one arm.

"How can you be centuries of years old? How can I trust you?"

Xie bowed his head.

"You may learn much from the two squabbling Demon siblings. But there is a human element to Dark Magic that not even the Demons are aware of. No one is knowledgeable of everything… I have gone to great lengths to acquire the immortality that I possess, and I can teach you the secret to eternal life as well. I can teach you so much, Your Highness. I ask you only to consider my offer."

Jade mulled over the proposal in her head. This old guy could just be bluffing, aiming to get something out of this ordeal. Well, that was practically a given; nobody gave charity without getting something in return. But on the other hand, there was just something about him that seemed so… alluring. The promise of eternal life… that piqued Jade's curiosity, but was it what she really wanted? Jade still wasn't sure what she well and truly wanted. Obviously, power was prominent, but what would she do with that power?

"I will accept you as a teacher… But on one condition. I still wish to know the contents of this Archive," Jade held up the book with Tarakudo's face on it. "If you can read this to me, I shall at least CONSIDER it. You will have to earn my trust, Xie."

Xie never lifted his head.

"I humbly thank you for giving me a chance, Your Highness. You won't be disappointed."

Jade smirked.

"I should hope not. If you are found to be lying to me, I will not hesitate to have the Shadowkhan imprison you. And if you attempt to flee, then you will be destroyed. I will test out your 'immortality', so do not try me."

Xie knew not to mess up. While he was a powerful Dark Chi Wizard, the girl had a Shadowkhan army at her beck and call. And unlike that army, Xie had limits. He was more durable than most humans, but even he could be killed. He just wouldn't admit this weakness to her Royal Highness. Xie was playing a dangerous game, but he would not back down. Xie WOULD get that Archive for the Jyutlong.

Just as Xie was about to pick up the tome and start reading it aloud to Jade, Hsi Wu flew up to them and landed in a crouch.

"Your dear uncle has arrived, Your Highness. He avoided Shadowkhan patrols, and is now engaging Shendu's minions in battle. Shall we join them…?" Hsi Wu glanced at Xie, who was also staring at him indifferently. "And who's he…?"

Jade scowled at Hsi Wu. The nerve.

"Who I associate with is none of your concern. If you must know, this is Xie, a Grand Master in the dark arts, and I will be giving him a chance to prove himself. As for my uncle, you are to bring him before me when those clowns that Shendu calls minions fail. Now leave my presence!"

Hsi Wu dipped his head.

"My apologies, Your Highness. Right away."

Hsi Wu flapped his wings and went back to the battle taking place in the main room of Section 13. He had no intention of sparing Chan's life. After all… Jade didn't say he had to be brought back to her ALIVE. He would deal with the consequences later; just as long as he was the one to deal the final blow to the enemy of all Demons.

Jackie swung a fist at Hak Foo, who blocked with both of his wrists. Hak Foo grunted and retaliated with a series of jabbing kicks, which Jackie took to the stomach, since he wasn't expecting such a maneuver from Hak Foo.

"What, no name for that one?" Jackie wheezed out and laughed a little.

Hak Foo snarled, nostrils flaring.

"Dragon Fist!"

Jackie ducked under the fist, and retaliated with an upward kick to the face. Hak Foo stumbled back into a pole, which Ratso tied him to with a bunch of rope. Hak Foo attempted to break out of his bindings, but Ratso really tied him up tight, so he wasn't successful.

Jackie placed his hands on his hips and looked around. The Enforcers were ganging up on Finn and Chow, so Jackie motioned for Ratso to follow him. Diving, Jackie slid across the floor in a straight line, tripping all three of the Enforcers at once. Jackie quickly leaped to his feet and got ready to lay the smackdown on the Ice Crew. They wouldn't be beat from a simple attack like that. What Jackie didn't expect was for fire to rain down on him. Dodging the hot flames, Jackie looked up to see Valmont on the second level and spewing fire from his mouth. That could only mean that Shendu was in control, and that the battle would get very tricky if Shendu wasn't occupied.

"Just go, Mr. Chan! We'll handle these guys!" Ratso assured Jackie, indicating the Enforcers, who were getting back to their feet irritably.

Jackie nodded and then ran up to a nearby pole, shimmying up it, and then leaping to the second level of the complex. Noticing this, Shendu spat one last fireball down at Hak Foo, thus freeing him from his bindings when the fireball made contact with the rope.

"You will have to do better than that if you want to defeat my minions, Chan!"

Jackie rolled his eyes. He aimed a high-jump kick directly at Valmont's chest, but Shendu used both arms to latch onto Jackie's foot, spinning him around and around. Jackie latched onto the nearby railing and kicked Valmont in the face. Shendu groaned, letting go of Chan's leg and massaging Valmont's face.

"No! Not now…"

And suddenly Valmont was in control again.

"What? What's going on?! That HURT! Shendu!" Valmont rubbed his face to try and ease the pain, but it still ached.

It was too bad that Valmont didn't see Jackie until it was too late. Jackie dealt out a sucker punch to the face, which sent Valmont slamming into a wall, and inadvertently knocking him out, too. Hopefully that would keep Shendu out of the picture for now. Taking a running start at the railing, Jackie leaped down into the thick of battle once more, and landed handily on DJ Fist and MC Cobra's shoulders. With all his might, Jackie beat their heads together, simultaneously knocking them out.

That left Strikemaster Ice and Hak Foo. Ice was being handled by Chow, yet Hak Foo was walloping on both Finn and Ratso.

"WOLF SLAUGHTERS TWO LAMBS!" Hak Foo bellowed, about to tackle both Aides. At the last second, however, he was tackled midflight by a blue blur.

Now on top of Hak Foo, Jackie called out to Finn and Ratso.

"Go help Chow take Ice down! I've got him!" he said, motioning to Hak Foo, who was now struggling to get back up.

Finn and Ratso ran off to do just that. The two of them charged at Ice while he was facing Chow down, and they got the Enforcer to his knees after ramming into him.

"Yo! Not cool!" Ice grumbled, shaking his head to clear it.

Finn pulled rope out and smirked.

"Nuh-uh. Can't have you helping out Hak over there, so we're just gonna tie you up so you won't get hurt anymore."

Ice twitched as he was held down and tied up a smidgeon on the tight side. Now there was only Hak Foo, apparently. The Aides looked over at Jackie and Hak Foo duking it out; the battle seemed even, like always. And the three of them were about to go and help out Jackie, when Hsi Wu finally showed up.

Smacking Jackie down with his tail, he ordered Hak Foo, "Hold him down. It's time I ended this charade."

Jackie struggled underneath Hak Foo's grasp, but the redhead held both of his wrists down, effectively pinning him. Finn, Ratso, and Chow rushed over when they witnessed this happening, but everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Hsi Wu swiped his clawed hand down, fully capable of shredding Jackie's head to pieces. It seemed like it was all over…

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!"

Hsi Wu was suddenly blasted with an emerald beam, and if one would listen, they could hear a flute playing. Hsi Wu clutched his head in agony.

"NO! I DESPISE THE FLUTE!"

The flute kept playing, and Uncle kept chanting. Eventually, Hsi Wu fell victim to an unnatural pull that called him back to his Demon Portal.

"NOOOOOO!" Hsi Wu cried, unwillingly leaving Section 13 and San Francisco. In mere minutes he was back at the baseball stadium where it all began for him, and sucked back into the swirling orange vortex. Once he went back in, the Portal closed by itself.

Hak Foo had been distracted by Hsi Wu's defeat, and that was when Jackie forcefully removed him and got back to his feet. Now furious, Hak Foo leaped from off the floor at Jackie, but Jackie swiftly kicked him, sending him sprawled across the floor once more. The Aides quickly tied him up a smidgeon on the tight side.

"That's all, folks!" Finn joked, dusting off his hands.

Everyone knew that wasn't the end. There was still Jade to deal with.

"How did you know to bring the Chi Spell for Hsi Wu, Uncle?" Jackie questioned, turning to Uncle and Tohru.

"We wanted to be on the safe side." Tohru succinctly said.

"Now, let us go and cure Jade!" Uncle exclaimed.

Having said that, the Chans ran off to help their niece and 'adoptive' little sister. Unbeknownst to them, Valmont was stirring…

In her throne room, Jade was very, very irritated. She had watched her family soundly defeat the Dark Hand and vanquish Hsi Wu through the eyes of the Shadowkhan, and she was fed up with their interference. She was NOT going to lose all that she had gained, thanks to Shendu. If she had to lock them up, too, then so be it.

Easily recognizing the twitch the 'Queen' had going on, Xie asked, "Things not going well, then…?"

"No." Jade hissed. "But I will deal with my family personally. If you must assist, handle the extra help. The big one, Tohru, the old man, Uncle, and Uncle Jackie are MINE, however."

Chuckling darkly, Xie shrugged.

"As you command, Your Highness."

Xie would not fight too seriously. After all, he had witnessed the fighting style of the three Aides. And while they fought valiantly against the Shadowkhan, their fighting styles left a lot to be desired. He would knock them out, and then observe the Queen handle her family. If the chance presented itself, he would flee with the Archive.

A few minutes later, Jade's family arrived. They were surprised at how many Shadowkhan were about, though.

"Whoa… That is a LOT of Shadowkhan…" Chow murmured.

He was, of course, referring to the two hundred Shadowkhan that Jade had summoned while her family was approaching. They weren't all around the throne, but they were spread throughout the room evenly.

"Jade!" Jackie put his hands around his mouth and called out to her.

Jade pointed at Jackie and hissed.

"I will give you one more chance! Leave my presence and never return! You have made it abundantly clear that you do not like the new Jade… Well, I wash my hands of you!"

"Jade…" Jackie moaned. She was too far gone…

Uncle secretly passed the potion to Jackie.

"Jade will suspect Uncle of having the potion the most," Uncle whispered. "We will handle the Shadowkhan. It will be up to you to return Jade to us, Jackie."

Jackie nodded solemnly, taking the vial with the potion and pocketing it. They would have just the one shot. Do or die.

As one, they charged for the throne. Uncle blasted Shadowkhan with a Chi Spell, and Tohru brushed off their attacks. Finn, Ratso, and Chow took them on one-on-one, and Jackie leaped from head to head, carefully avoiding the hands that attempted to grab his feet.

Xie entered the fray, attacking Finn, Ratso, and Chow with Dark Magic. His energy blasts were a dark purple, and he would not get too close to the three Aides. The three of them were short-ranged fighters, and Xie could fight both long- and short-range.

After three successive zaps to the back, Ratso whipped around and witnessed some hunchbacked guy pointing some odd trinket at them.

"I don't think he's a Shadowkhan, guys…"

Finn glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, no kidding! He looks similar in all that black, but c'mon! Shadowkhan all look alike, and they don't look like… THAT!" Finn finished lamely, gesturing in the guy's direction while fending off one Shadowkhan.

Chow grunted and dispelled another Shadowkhan.

"So what do we do? Shadowkhan on all sides, and some creepy dude zapping us with who-knows-what!"

Finn shook his head.

"Just bear with it for now! All the Shadowkhan seem to be focusing more and more on Unc and Tohru, so maybe we'll get a break eventually and find some weapon lying around!"

Chow and Ratso agreed to this plan, dispelling as many Shadowkhan as possible while carefully avoiding Xie's attacks.

On the opposite side of the room, Uncle and Tohru were dispelling Shadowkhan left and right, and yet they were still coming, and in bigger hordes.

"Keep fighting, Tohru!" Uncle encouraged his apprentice. "We must get to Jade!"

Uncle was lying through his teeth, naturally. Jackie had the potion, but Jade didn't know that. And if they could keep the Shadowkhan coming at them, then that gave Jackie room to move and free Jade. They absolutely had to win this fight.

"Yes, Sensei!" Tohru said, slamming two more Shadowkhan against each other, dispelling them both. He had Shadowkhan crawling all over him, yet Tohru did not seem too bothered.

Jackie finally reached the end of the crowd of Shadowkhan and raced toward Jade. Jade didn't make any sort of move to get away, because she didn't need to. From above, a fireball shot down at Jackie, and he had to roll out of the way to dodge it. And then Shendu landed right between Jackie and Jade.

"I am afraid that this reunion will have to wait. Your fight is with me, Chan!"

Jackie put up his dukes.

"I will not allow you to use Jade, Shendu!"

Before Shendu could give his retort, he was blasted in the back by Jade. Whipping around to face her, Shendu guffawed.

"Y-Your Highness! I am fighting for you!"

Jade scowled at the Demon-possessed Valmont.

"I may not agree with my family at the moment, Shendu, but even I can see that our 'alliance' is not pure. As of now, you are my enemy! Everyone is my enemy, except for Xie! At least he lets me choose my own path! I will allow him to earn my trust…"

Shendu growled, pointing angrily at the empty table before Jade.

"And did you give this 'Xie' permission to take the Archive?!"

Jade gaped. It was true; the man had never set the book back on the table before going into battle. Summoning five Shadowkhan, Jade pointed furiously at Xie doing battle with the Aides.

"Bring him to me! Xie must be punished!"

Jackie was not foolish. While Shendu and Jade were angry at one another and Xie, Jackie snuck up behind Jade, took out the potion, and with lightning speed poured all the contents on Jade's bare right arm. Jade was alerted to this immediately after feeling the liquid poured on her arm. She swatted Jackie away angrily.

"Pest!" Jade screeched. But then she felt the mark of Tarakudo vanish, and her skin turned back to her normal complexion. "NOOO!"

The Shadowkhan present could all feel the dark presence leaving Jade, and their allegiance was slowly shifting back to Shendu. In her mindscape, even the 'gentler' Jade could feel something going on.

"Whoa… What's going on?"

Suddenly, the black blob returned to the white 'room' that Jade was in, and the Dark Jade glared haughtily at Jade.

"Things did not go so well. Your family did not enjoy our 'fun'."

Jade blinked confusedly.

"Uh… Sorry?"

Dark Jade hissed and formed a black orb with her palm.

"Here… I am going to disappear, but I refuse to die. I want you to have a little part of me to remember me by."

Jade raised an eyebrow.

"I thought we were one and the same?"

Dark Jade scowled.

"We are, but our family would disagree." Dark Jade started to fade, but she released the small black 'bubble', so it wouldn't fade along with her. "So long…"

And just like that, Dark Jade faded away. Soon after, Jade regained consciousness.

Shendu looked around at the Shadowkhan. They all seemed to be gazing expectantly at him. Shendu had only three words to say.

"Destroy them all!"

Jade, still having a teeny, tiny part of the dark power in her, eyes glowing red, called off the Shadowkhan weakly.

"N-No! Retreat for now!"

The Shadowkhan didn't seem like they were going to obey, but they did, in the end. Shendu growled irritably now that the battlefield was much more empty.

"This isn't over yet, Chan!" Shendu launched Valmont's body at Jackie, but Jackie rolled, picked up a Talisman from the bowl by the throne, and hoped it would be a good defense.

A raging fireball came out of Jackie's mouth, hit Valmont, and made the Demon-possessed man fly back across the large room. Cutting his losses, Shendu beat a hasty retreat. Xie did, too, after everyone turned their attention to him. But unlike Shendu, he teleported himself out, kicking up a large cloud of purple smoke.

Jackie heaved a sigh of relief and stayed sitting on the ground. After all they had been through the past week, everything was finally resolved. Jade was back with them, safe and sound, Hsi Wu was sealed away, and they even managed to recover the Talismans! Sure, some weird wizard got away with Shendu's Archive, and Shendu managed to escape, no doubt with the Enforcers in tow, but it was a victory, in Jackie's eyes. They would do their utmost best to stop Shendu the next time a Demon Portal was opened.

Finally registering the drawn-out groaning close by, Jackie looked and saw Jade rubbing her eyes while sitting on the throne. He couldn't help but grin amicably.

"Welcome back, Jade. Have a nice nap?"

Jade moaned running her hair through her hair and sitting up straighter.

"I… did something bad, didn't I…?"

Jackie chuckled, getting up and moving to the front of the throne.

"Well, you did give us a scare, but it wasn't your fault, Jade."

Finn, Ratso, Chow, Uncle, and Tohru walked up to the two.

"Yeah… We'll tell you all about it later, if you really want to hear it." Chow teased, knowing full well she wouldn't give up until they did.

"Evil has been expelled, and you will make a full recovery now," Uncle spoke up, smiling warmly at Jade.

Jade blinked confusedly.

"Evil? What evil?"

Finn put his arms behind his head and grinned like an idiot.

"We'll tell ya! Just as soon as we release Captain Black and his men."

Jade's mouth was wide open now.

"Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

The group shared a collective chuckle at Jade's expense as Jade squealed in frustration. The family was all back together again, and everything was right with the world.

_At the Helm's Fish Cannery –_

Shendu was cross. He breathed fire at his minions until he vented out ALL of his frustrations. He could care less about the Talismans, though they could've been a boon to his quest. But he was livid about the loss of his brother, and about the failed attempt at eliminating Jackie Chan. Now it would be impossible to release all of his brothers and sisters! And that 'Ace-in-the-hole' was an absolute WASTE! It was despicable.

Later, when he calmed down, and the Enforcers had fiddled with the Panku Box just a bit more, the map hologram appeared once more, revealing the location of the next Portal. So… Maybe there would be a silver lining to this after all… after that severe loss at the hands of Jackie Chan…

"Brother Tchang Zu, your time has come…" Shendu smirked deviously, causing his minions to shudder.

_At an Unknown Location… - _

The book with Tarakudo's face on the front slid across a polished table.

"As requested, I have delivered to you something of value." Xie spoke with a hint of annoyance.

Teku, who was sitting across the table from Xie, had his hands clasped together and an arrogant smile played across his lips.

"So I did. And you delivered. Welcome to the Jyutlong, Xie."

There was no need for a handshake. Xie had been all but guaranteed a spot in their little group.

It was Specter that spoke up next, in his silky smooth voice.

"So what now? Does the hunt go on?"

Teku glanced around the room. All five of them were assembled. In a dramatic fashion, Teku stood up, his cape flapping.

"The hunt goes on."

**Through a combination of college, family vacation, and writer's block, I finally bring you the belated Chapter Seventeen. I know it's no consolation, but it's the truth: This chapter was very, VERY hard for me to write. Unlike many people, probably, I'm not a big fan of Queen/Dark Jade, so I didn't get much inspiration while writing this. However, I did take my time, and tried to do the character justice, at any rate. So, is Queen Jade gone forever? That's left up in the air, isn't it? I couldn't just permanently 'destroy' an antagonist without leaving some room for doubt. I can neither confirm nor deny a future return of that dark mistress. Only time will tell. **

**Hopefully, I'll have more inspiration for the next two chapters, featuring Tchang Zu and Bai Tsa, respectively. As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, but will understand if it's not as enjoyable as previous ones. It's been a while, and I struggled a lot with this chapter. **

**Review Replies:**

**nightmaster000: I'm glad that last chapter was enjoyable, and hope that you found this one just as enjoyable. Queen Jade and Hsi Wu weren't quite 'friends', but then, no honor among thieves and all that jazz. Queen Jade didn't have a goal in mind, and she only tolerated Hsi Wu and Shendu because they could teach her about the dark arts, somewhat. Beyond that, she found the two Demon Sorcerers to be nuisances. Hsi Wu wasn't all that hard to write for, and I hope that you enjoyed that character's rendition here. **

**D.J. Scales: As always, glad that you enjoyed last chapter, and hope this one was adequate. **

**Alana Fox: Well, now you know. Haha. Hope this chapter was okay for you.**

**goldenpurple: Yes, Drago will still appear in Season 5. I don't want to spoil anymore for you, though. **

**OMAC001: Apologies for the wait again. I know I keep saying that, but this chapter was probably the toughest for me to write. I should have a much easier time writing for Tchang Zu and Bai Tsa. **

**Treecko5551: Well, Hsi Wu whispered an incantation, one that knocked Jade out. That's all; nothing important to the overall plot, especially.**

**Ultimate Black Ace: One thing you didn't account for was Hsi Wu turning to Shendu for assistance. In the canon, maybe he wouldn't have done that. However, in this AU, the relationships between the Eight Demons are slightly more tame; Hsi Wu had the guts to accept brotherly help this time, though that did lead to him returning to the Netherworld, in the end. Hope this chapter wasn't too bad for you. **


	18. Vengeful Thunder

Jackie looked on as Uncle threw ingredients into a pot. Up until this point, they had been helplessly chasing after the Dark Hand, who had been one step ahead of them in this Demon Portal quest. They had been forced to resort to accepting help from a questionable third party, and none of them particularly liked the roundabout way that the third party was helping them; their 'help' had only come AFTER Demons had been released from their Portals. Fortunately, they had vanquished the Mountain and Sky Demons, but that left five Demon Sorcerers that could be potentially set free. According to Uncle, the Demons that remained were the Wind, Water, Earth, Thunder, and Moon Demons, each one a force to be reckoned with in their own right. The sooner they caught up to the Dark Hand and locked away the Panku Box, the sooner the threat against humanity would be over.

On the bright side, Jade seemed to have fully recovered from the 'Queen Jade' incident from a couple days ago, and the Talismans were safely tucked away in Section 13, no longer weapons against them. Of course, now Jade was back to her usual self, and she had recently become addicted to a handheld fighter game, which didn't help quell her fiery spirit one bit.

Although, now it might be possible to deal with the Dark Hand without Jade endangering herself; Jackie crossed his fingers for Uncle to finish the locator Spell so that they could head out before Jade lost interest in her new video game.

Throwing in the last ingredient, smoke poofed up from the pot, and a swirling vortex appeared from within the haze. Jackie, Tohru, Uncle, Finn, Ratso, and Chow watched in hopeful anticipation as the Spell worked its magic. To everyone's relief, an image appeared within the vortex. First, it was a map of the United States; then, it shifted to the west coast, particularly around the California area; and then the map enlarged the California portion until it was south of San Fran.

Jackie blinked in disbelief.

"That's Hollywood!"

The images did not stop there, however. Switching from an overhead map to an overhead view of the city, the Spell got more and more precise in locating the Dark Hand. Soon, the Spell homed in on a single building, and then gave a view of the inside of it. Maneuvering around movie sets, costumes, and Hollywood personnel, the Chans finally spotted Valmont and his minions, Hak Foo holding out the Panku Box in front of him.

The Chans watched in horror as the events played out…

_In Hollywood… -_

While it did not take a couple of days to get to Hollywood, it was a huge district to comb through for the Portal of Tchang Zu. As always, the Panku Box showed the general location of the Portal and gave a written clue to its location, but unfortunately for Shendu, the Panku Box would never keep the map out for too long, and could never be referenced until the next Portal was revealed. And so, Shendu and the Dark Hand had set out for Hollywood immediately, yet didn't have immediate success in locating the Portal because of the written clue's vagueness. Well, the clue didn't account for Hollywood's construction.

That and the Enforcers were adolescents. Who were in Hollywood. Full of movie stars and spectacular sights.

Yeah… It would have been better to just bring Hak Foo along on the quest for Tchang Zu's Portal. But then, Jackie Chan could turn up at any minute, and Shendu needed them to be close by to defend his grandiose, and potentially-violent brother. Shendu and Tchang Zu might not have liked each other very much, but family was family, and Shendu wanted to release as many Demon Sorcerers upon the world as possible.

At last, the Panku Box glowed with a green light and levitated toward a prop door in the middle of the large warehouse the Dark Hand was in. Shendu ran up to the Portal as it opened, followed by Hak Foo and the Enforcers. Out of the swirling orange vortex stepped a large clawed foot, followed by a blue leg and the rest of the armored body of Tchang Zu, the Thunder Demon. Tchang Zu towered over the Dark Hand, though he wasn't as big as Po Kong. His dark blue and golden armor complemented his light blue complexion, and he possessed well-toned muscles. His head was like that of an ogre's: a monstrous face with sharp rows of teeth and glowing red eyes, like the rest of his siblings. Once out, the Portal closed behind Tchang Zu.

"What took you so long, Shendu?!" Tchang Zu bellowed at his brother.

Shendu crossed Valmont's arms aggravatingly.

"Apologies, Brother Zu. Sister Kong and Brother Wu's Portals revealed themselves first, and then interference from Jackie Chan stalled my valiant quest. Then we had trouble in locating your Portal…"

Tchang Zu leaned down to Valmont's level and roared.

"EXCUSES! It is because of your ineptitude that Po Kong and Hsi Wu have returned to the void! You will protect me with your life, Shendu. I am your new master."

Shendu scowled. He KNEW that Tchang Zu would be this way when he was released. Tchang Zu was always the hardest for him to get along with, but now he was free, and Shendu could move on to releasing his other brothers and sister.

"Well, MASTER… I hate to leave without catching up with you, but we really must be going. There are other Portals to find, other siblings to release!"

Tchang Zu crossed his arms, fixing Shendu with a glare.

"I will allow you to continue your quest, but only AFTER you take me to my Palace, Shendu. I shall rule this land once again!"

Shendu grumbled, motioning for his brother of Thunder to follow him. Outside, they all hopped into an unused van. Tchang Zu tore the roof off of it and got into the back seats. DJ Fist ended up driving, and Shendu just had him drive until Tchang Zu recognized the general location of his Palace. Shendu took a little sadistic glee in knowing that Tchang Zu's Palace was more than likely long gone, and that Tchang Zu would violently annihilate all of LA in a blind rage. All Shendu had to do was get out of town before Tchang Zu blew his stack.

"Now, I know that the surroundings may look different, Brother Zu, but I assure you…"

The car screeched to a halt when Tchang Zu pointed furiously at a square building in front of them.

"MY PALACE!" Tchang Zu thundered. "The foolish mortals have obliterated my paradise, and constructed a…"

MC Cobra supplied the noun that Tchang Zu did not know.

"Uh… A parking lot…?"

Tchang Zu roared loudly in frustration.

"This will not stand! I will exterminate this city and all who dwell within… Then the humans will know their place…"

As Tchang Zu said this, he was making plans to annihilate the entire city with one storm. The Enforcers and Hak Foo paled at the implications.

"And you made us let him out, Shendude?!" Ice accused Shendu.

Shendu attempted to placate his vengeful brother.

"B-Brother Zu…" Shendu withered in Valmont's body under Tchang Zu's harsh gaze. "Master… If you destroy this place now, my minions and I will be eliminated as well! And I will be unable to fulfill my quest of releasing our brothers and sisters! I care not if you wipe this city out, but at least let us reach a safe distance away from here!"

Tchang Zu didn't appear to change his mind.

"It is not my problem if you cannot carry out your obligation, Shendu…" Tchang Zu took pleasure in Shendu's horrified look. "… But if you were incapacitated… Then it would be left to me to complete what you could not finish… Very well, I shall leave this city with you. But know that it is only by a mere whim that I spare your pitiful life. For this mercy, you shall repay me by locating me a new, suitable Palace from which to rule over this land. And you are to make sure that it is nowhere near this 'Jackie Chan'."

Shendu cringed at Tchang Zu's demands. True, he was content that his brother had spared him and his minions, but now he had to find Tchang Zu a new base of operations, and he wouldn't accept coming back to San Francisco with him. Shendu hoped that Tchang Zu might accept coming along with them so that he could eliminate Jackie Chan for them, but apparently, Tchang Zu was wiser than Hsi Wu in keeping his distance from Chan.

That didn't make the whole ordeal any less of a headache for Shendu, though.

"Do you have any… PREFERENCES… Master…?" Shendu scathingly asked.

Tchang Zu crossed his arms as DJ Fist got the car moving again.

"You know my preferences, Shendu. The tallest tower that you can find would be good…"

Shendu was sorely tempted to dump him off at any random skyscraper in LA, just to get rid of his overly arrogant brother, yet Shendu knew that if he didn't put any thought into Tchang Zu's Palace, then he would be punished. Unfairly, but punished all the same.

Ice, surprisingly, brought up a good idea, however.

"What about the Space Needle, dawg?"

Tchang Zu tilted his head thoughtfully.

"What is this Space Needle…?"

MC Cobra grinned. He knew a bit about the structure.

"It's a tall, tall place! Like, six hundred feet tall, and it's got all these lightning rods built into it. Twenty five of 'em, I think. Oh, and it can withstand big winds and earthquakes! Totally awesome place!"

Tchang Zu seemed to consider this momentarily.

"Yes… This place sounds suitable. You shall take me there at once."

Ice rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Isn't it, like… up in Seattle, though?" Shrugging, he grinned up at the ogre-like Demon. "Whatev. We'll get ya there, dawg!"

Shendu smirked triumphantly. It would take a little time to drive up there, but then he would finally be rid of his brother of Thunder. Jackie Chan wouldn't even know that Tchang Zu was loose…

_At Uncle's Rare Finds –_

The Chans were packing up and getting ready to leave for LA. They had only watched up until the point when Tchang Zu and the Dark Hand had left the warehouse, and then they snapped out of their initial shock. They had work to do.

Considering that Uncle didn't pack any Chi ingredients, they were packed and ready to go at a reasonable time.

"Can't believe we're goin' to Hollywood!" Ratso remarked.

Finn spread out his arms and warmed up to the topic.

"That's right, Ratso! Swimming pools, movie stars, here we come!"

Chow crossed his arms and sternly stared at his fellow Aides.

"We're gonna be hunting for a Demon Sorcerer there, guys. No time to visit Clark Gable's old house."

Ratso looked so disappointed.

"Aww. Well, maybe after?"

Finn shrugged.

"That's up to Mr. Chan. As for me, I'm just gonna enjoy the sights while we search. I specialize in multi-tasking."

Chow rolled his eyes. Well, he'd be doing the same thing, more or less. But unlike Finn and Ratso, he knew the search for the Thunder Demon was more important.

Jackie, meanwhile, was on the phone.

"Are you sure it won't be too much trouble, Captain Black? I can always have Finn, Ratso, or Chow stay behind and look after Jade…"

"_It's fine, Jackie. Just leave Jade to me. You're gonna need every possible man to help you take down the Dark Hand, and those are three of your finest helpers. Besides, if she's addicted to a video game, Jade shouldn't give me too much trouble."_

Jackie nodded and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Captain Black. We'll do our best to bring in the Dark Hand for you."

With that, Jackie and Captain Black hung up. Everything was set up, and now they just needed to get there.

"Are you sure you won't need ingredients, Sensei?"

Uncle waved off his student's concerns dismissively.

"Feh. Uncle has list; Uncle will just shop for Chi ingredients there. Uncle does not own castanets, and time is of essence. Hot-cha!"

Without further delay, the Chans took the van that Captain Black came by with, and left the shop. A few minutes later, Jackie, in the shotgun seat, was pounding his chest to, once again, stop his racing heart.

"Hey, Uncle Jackie! Where we goin'?"

Jackie turned to look at the backseats, just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. He wasn't disappointed.

"Jade… You were supposed to stay at the shop…"

Jade gave Jackie a raspberry.

"You made the mistake of telling me Captain Black would be by to watch me! If Captain Black was gonna watch me, then you guys were going somewhere, and if you were goin' somewhere, you were goin' to fight another Demon! No way I'm missing that action!"

Jackie groaned.

"Jade… This is dangerous business… What about your video game?"

Jade snickered at Jackie's naiveté. She held up her handheld console and showed a chord coming from it.

"Car charger."

Jackie face palmed.

_At Hollywood –_

The ride to LA went uneventfully. No news of monster attacks emerged from the LA area, and the city appeared fine when the metropolis was within view, even the general area of Hollywood. That could easily be taken as a good sign, or a bad omen. Jackie, naturally, hoped that it was the former, but suspected that it was most likely the latter.

The first stop they made was in Chinatown. Uncle and Tohru would get off here and purchase the necessary Chi ingredients.

"We'll be looking around while you shop," Jackie said while leaning out the window. "We will be sure to call when we find something."

Tohru nodded in agreement, though Uncle waved dismissively.

"Feh. After getting Chi Spell ingredients, Uncle will use locator Spell to find Demon. Uncle will have Tohru call you when we find Demon."

Jackie ran his hand through his jet black hair nervously.

"Hopefully it will not come to that… I would like to run interference so that you do not get hurt, Uncle."

After having said that, Jackie had Ratso drive around for a little while. They would need to get out eventually and search on foot, but they could drive around Hollywood for the time being. How hard could it be to find a Greco-Roman armor-wearing Thunder Demon in the middle of Los Angeles?

"Hey, Uncle Jackie? Mind if I go out and see the sights?" Jade asked innocently after an hour of driving around and seeing nothing suspicious.

Jackie massaged his temples. Jade's tone was entirely too innocent to be believed, but… if she was out there as a tourist, she wouldn't endanger herself when they found the Thunder Demon. He just had to make sure the Thunder Demon was sealed away before Jade got bored playing tourist.

"Stop the car," Jackie told Ratso. Once it stopped along a sidewalk, Jackie got out and motioned for Ratso to roll down the window. "Look after Jade, and keep an eye out for the Thunder Demon. I'll keep searching, and you guys can go sightsee for now."

Finn gave Jackie a thumbs-up.

"Gotcha. Call us if you need us, Mr. Chan!"

Jackie wagged his pointer finger at Jade.

"Stay out of trouble. Be good for Finn, Ratso, and Chow."

Jade's eyebrows fluttered and she made a cute, innocent pose.

"I pwomise, Uncle Jackie."

Jackie shuddered at Jade's act. He knew she was up to something, and he would probably hear about it later. He just hoped that Jade didn't get mixed up in another battle against a Demon Sorcerer.

Jackie bade farewell, and then got straight to searching. There was no time to lose.

_In Seattle –_

Deeming the drive too long, Tchang Zu had demanded that Shendu find faster transport. Fortunately for the Dark Hand, there was Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc, California, so they could jack a military jet to get to where they needed to go in a much shorter span of time than they would if they solely drove to Seattle from LA. Normally, infiltrating an Air Force Base would be a risky gambit for the Dark Hand, but with the assistance of two Demon Sorcerers, they didn't need to be so sneaky about it.

And in a few short hours, they found themselves flying over Seattle toward the Space Needle. Getting a good view of the towering, magnificent structure from atop the metal flying machine, Tchang Zu rubbed his chin thoughtfully and couldn't hold back an amused grin.

"Hmm… That will do…"

Soon enough, they were on the ground again. They landed the plane close to the front gate, and Tchang Zu dealt with the security guards while the Dark Hand disembarked.

"F-Freeze!" One brave man in uniform called out as Tchang Zu approached. His partner was too terrified of the Thunder Demon's sinister aura that he had about him.

"I claim this tower as my new palace," Tchang Zu thundered. "Resistance will not be tolerated!"

Swiftly, Tchang Zu scooped up a guard with each hand and threw them like ragdolls into a nearby dumpster. Slightly turning his head to Shendu, Tchang Zu barked, "Make sure the foolish humans do not attempt to interfere, or I will be forced to make… examples…"

Shendu cringed at his brother's tone. The guards were very lucky that Tchang Zu did not just execute them on the spot. Shendu may have been a Demon, but even he was not as unmerciful as his brother of Thunder. With Tchang Zu, it was one strike, and you were out, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

"Of… Of course, Master…" Shendu shakily let out.

Tchang Zu grunted and proceeded to enter the Space Needle. The Ice Crew and Hak Foo went in after him, and Shendu reluctantly followed suit. Once inside, the minions began ordering employees and tourists alike to get out, and Shendu stayed by Tchang Zu's side to guide him wherever he wanted to go.

"Shendu, I care not for the inside of my palace at the moment… Take me to the top of this structure, immediately!"

Shendu looked up at his brother with curious eyes.

"Already, Master? I thought…"

"Your job is not to think, Shendu, but to do as I command. Your minions are conquering my palace for me, and I will waste not a nanosecond. Guide me to the summit, Shendu. That is an order." Tchang Zu boomed with authority.

Shendu grumbled and they strode along in silence. When they reached the elevator, Shendu cursed under his breath.

"Too small…"

Tchang Zu looked irritably down at Shendu.

"Useless. I will get there myself."

Tchang Zu charged a thunderbolt and threw it at the ceiling, making a sizeable hole. Then, he effortlessly walked on the air all the way to the top of the tower, while Shendu took the elevator to the top.

Meanwhile, the Ice Crew and Hak Foo had a chat after forcing everyone to leave and knocking out the guards on the ground floor.

"Hak Foo dawg, you deal with anyone upstairs. Me 'n my crew are gonna jack some supplies for renovations!"

"It's gonna be so gnarly, dude!" MC Cobra crowed and high-fived Ice.

Hak Foo uncrossed his arms and left to do that. He didn't care one bit for 'renovating' the place; he was the muscle, not the interior decorator. It'd take the Ice Crew a little while to get all the materials they wanted, but they'd trick out the Space Needle.

It helped to assemble real live RoboMercs first. That's how they managed to retrieve the larger pieces of equipment, after all. And meanwhile, a storm was gathering around the Space Needle…

_In Hollywood –_

The search for the Thunder Demon was not going well. And it didn't help that it was a movie-making place, because monsters were par for the course in many of the films being done. Of course, Jackie already knew what 'monster' he was looking for, but that had only helped in staying out of the way of the actors and production people.

While Jackie's search for the Thunder Demon had yielded no results, he did hear a bizarre rumor.

"'Chan Perishes in Cave-in'?" Jackie scratched his head picking up the local tabloid after seeing the front cover. "'Archaeologist Jackie Chan (46) was on a routine dig in China when tragedy struck when an unexpected earthquake occurred and caused the subterranean site to cave in, resulting in the death of Jackie Chan among seven others… Chan is survived by…' Oh, this is rubbish! I'm alive and well! I can't believe I'm the victim of a death hoax! ME! I'm not that famous!"

Of course, Jackie's rant only garnered him weird looks from passersby. Jackie smiled sheepishly and shooed them to go on with their day like nothing happened. Crumpling up the tabloid and throwing it away, Jackie got back to the hunt. LA was a big place… Tchang Zu had to be SOMEWHERE…

While Jackie was searching high and low for the Thunder Demon, Jade was in the middle of securing Uncle Jackie a movie deal with a producer from Intergalactic Studios. How or when she filmed Jackie laying the smackdown on the Enforcers perplexed Finn, Ratso, and Chow, but Jade would not elaborate for them.

"So, Blair, do we got a deal? Jackie Chan could be the next big thing!"

Blair frowned thoughtfully.

"You say he does his own stunts, but I'm gonna need to see it in person before I make any decision, Jade!"

Jade smiled disarmingly and gave him a thumbs-up.

"I'll bring him by! How does tomorrow for lunch sound?"

Blair grinned at Jade's enthusiasm.

"Sounds great! See ya tomorrow!"

Once Jade, Finn, Ratso, and Chow had exited Blair's office and closed the door behind them, Jade jumped up and down while pumping her fist in the air.

"It's in the bag!"

Finn raised an eyebrow.

"You know he's probably going to say no, right? You can set Mr. Chan up all you like, but in the end, Mr. Chan can just turn the movie deal down. He's just not into fame and fortune."

Jade crossed her arms and pouted at Finn's pessimism.

"True… But I'm not giving up! Uncle Jackie DESERVES a movie or two! He saves the world on a regular basis, so he needs a reward for all his hard work!"

Finn, Ratso, and Chow couldn't hold back their amused grins. Jackie would still turn the movie down, no matter how much Jade cried and pleaded. They'd let Jade find out the hard way.

"Hey, think we could check out Clark Gable's old house, now?" Ratso asked.

Finn and Chow shrugged indifferently, and Jade was too absorbed in planning ways to make Uncle Jackie give the movie deal a shot to care, so the four of them went with Ratso's idea of where to go next. As they exited Intergalactic Studios, however, Chow bumped shoulders with a stranger in a trench coat. They never got a good look at the person, so they didn't know if it was a guy or gal, but more importantly…

"Hey!" Chow shouted after the retreating figure, picking up the pamphlet that the person accidentally dropped. "You dropped your… What the heck?"

Finn leaned over Chow's shoulder to sneak a look at the pamphlet that Chow was now holding.

"The Space Needle? Ain't that in Seattle?"

"I know, right! So what the heck was that guy…" Chow began.

"Or gal," Ratso pointed out.

"Or gal… doing with it down here in LA? Weird!"

Jade swiped the pamphlet and Chow went, "Hey!" in response.

"Ooh… I wanna visit the Space Needle! It's in Seattle, which also happens to be where Nintendo of America is based, and Nintendo made the RoboMerc series! So if we go to Seattle, that'll be a twofer!"

Finn ruffled Jade's hair.

"Gotta find the Thunder Demon first, squirt! And get the Panku Box away from the Dark Hand… But then we should be able to take ya there."

Jade moaned disappointedly.

"But isn't the Space Needle like a big LIGHTNING ROD? Wouldn't that make it a good base for the THUNDER Demon? Don't you think it's worth checking out?"

All three Aides blinked in surprise. Actually, come to think of it…

Chow waved a hand dismissively.

"But that place is MILES away from here! He couldn't have gotten THAT far by now… er… could he?"

Ratso shrugged neutrally.

"It's been hours. Maybe."

Finn shook his head.

"We mighta been late to the party, but c'mon… They'd need, like… a jet to get to Seattle in the time we've been lookin' for 'em."

"They coulda snagged one," Ratso pointed out. "They got enough 'manpower' with two Demons."

"But that means we've been wasting our time here!" Finn groaned.

Chow crossed his arms and thought about it.

"It seems possible… But if you think about it, we're only debating this because someone dropped a pamphlet on the ground! It could be coincidental, or, worst case scenario, it's a false clue to make us THINK they went outta town…"

"Let's just get Unc to locate them again! C'mon, guys!" Jade half-whined, half-pleaded.

Speaking of said Chi Wizard, after he had gotten all the necessary Chi ingredients (the shopkeeper in Chinatown had given him a strange look when he requested castanets), Uncle got sidetracked with Tohru when they came across a gift shop that sold John Wayne paraphilia.

"Sensei, which photo do you like best?" Tohru was perusing the available signed pictures of the movie star.

Uncle, however, was paying Tohru no heed. He was aggravatingly going through the cassette tapes and not finding what he wanted.

"Not now, Tohru! Uncle is looking for 'The Shootist'! Uncle must add that to John Wayne collection!"

Tohru hummed thoughtfully. He eventually picked a picture and purchased it. Uncle still hadn't found what he was looking for when Finn called Tohru.

_"Hey, Big T! We're done sightseeing for now…" _

_ "I still wanna visit Clark Gable's old house!" Ratso cut in, but was shushed by Chow. _

_ "ANYWAY… We're done. You guys find you-know-what yet?" Finn inquired._

Tohru turned to Uncle, who was still furtively searching through the cassette tapes.

"Ah… Sensei is busy at the moment… But I should be able to devise the locator Spell. Have you heard from Jackie recently?"

_"Nope! I guess the search is going slow on his end, too."_

Tohru nodded in understanding.

"Alright, let's meet up in Chinatown. I will attempt to use the locator Spell to find Tchang Zu, in the meantime. Call Jackie and have him meet us in Chinatown as well," said Tohru. Then he gave an address for the meeting place. "See you soon."

Tohru was about to turn to Uncle and give him an update, when the Chi Wizard excitedly cried, "Hot-cha! Uncle has found 'The Shootist'!" Tohru smiled ruefully.

"Sensei, we must…"

"Uncle was listening! Apprentice will buy this for me," Uncle said holding up the cassette tape, "and Uncle will devise locator Spell. Let us get cracking!"

Ten minutes later, in Chinatown, the Chans had re-gathered, and Uncle had performed the locator Spell. Jade and the Aides had been the first to arrive, and Jackie had come next. And then Tohru and Uncle had walked up after Jackie bemoaned his death hoax, how outrageous it was. The Aides were sympathetic about it, but Jade had taken it as a sign that Jackie was super famous already, and that a movie with him in it would destroy that nasty rumor. However, Jackie still declined tomorrow's meeting with Blair.

"No, Jade. I don't have time to shoot a movie, and… and I'm terrible at acting, anyway! I'm sorry, I won't be meeting with Blair tomorrow. It was very nice of you to do this for me, but it's just not me, Jade."

"Aww," Jade moaned, snapping her fingers, too. Then she crossed her arms impatiently. She hoped that destroying that rumor would be the motivation Uncle Jackie needed to do the movie, but of course Finn, Ratso, and Chow had been right.

"So, Big T, what's the word on the Thunder Demon's location?" Finn asked amiably.

Ratso rubbed the back of his head.

"Is it in Seattle, at the Space Needle? That's what me and Jade think."

Tohru blinked in astonishment at Ratso and Jade's 'random' guess. Chow took it the wrong way, however.

"Ya see? He's not there!"

Tohru grinned nervously as Finn and Chow smirked vindictively at Ratso and Jade.

"Um… Actually..."

Chow did a double-take.

"No way… really?! What the heck!"

"Thunder Demon is at Space Needle," Uncle confirmed.

Jackie put his hands on his hips as he sternly stared down at Jade.

"How did you guys know…?"

Jade waved around the pamphlet they had picked up.

"Someone dropped this. At least Ratso and I have learned to trust signs like that!" Jade looked up at Finn and Chow indignantly.

Finn held up his hands peaceably, wishing for Jade to calm down.

"It was totally random, squirt! We just didn't want to go there on the off-chance that Tchang Zu was still here somewhere!"

Jade huffed and crossed her arms angrily after handing the pamphlet to Uncle Jackie.

"I want that back!" Jade said, referring to the pamphlet.

Jackie leafed through the small pamphlet, and didn't find any additional 'clues'. Jackie suspected the pamphlet was another helpful hint from the group that was 'helping' them in the hunt for the Demon Sorcerers, but he couldn't confirm his guess one way or another, as the pamphlet supplied no information on its previous owner.

"Well, we have a location… I guess I'll just call Captain Black for a ride. We need to get there quickly." Jackie mused.

Jade pumped her fist in the air victoriously. First they came to Hollywood, and now they were going to Seattle! Today was slowly becoming more and more awesome!

"But we didn't…" Ratso began, but was shushed by Finn.

"Don't say it, Ratso! We get it, we get it!"

"Yeah," Chow agreed. "Demon Sorcerers come before pleasure. Isn't that right, Jade…?"

Jade blinked.

"Oh, yeah. Right."

She was totally going to beg to get a tour of Nintendo of America after this adventure was over with. Jade didn't want to miss out on the fight against Tchang Zu anyway!

_At the Space Needle –_

The Space Needle was a hotspot of activity that evening. Outside, the darkest storm clouds were gathered around it and violently rumbling. Inside, Shendu's minions were gleefully putting the finishing touches on their indoor amusement park. They'd stolen a rollercoaster, a fan big enough and powerful enough for a whole person to float over it when it was on, a big hi-tech sound system, a pool, and they even swiped a few arcade video games for the heck of it. The coolest parts they 'liberated', however, were the parts necessary to create two giant, real life RoboMercs. No longer would they need to play the handheld version!

The RoboMerc that was painted various shades of green swiped at the red, blue, and white painted one. MC Cobra was controlling the green RoboMerc, and Strikemaster Ice the other one. DJ Fist was enjoying the fan they snagged, and Hak Foo was dutifully at the security cameras. Just because his cohorts were slacking off didn't mean that he would. Tchang Zu would likely wreck the place when he came back down, anyway, so renovating the place was kind of pointless.

Ice harshly kneed MC Cobra's RoboMerc and delivered a volley of swift punches at MC Cobra.

"Nothin' like a RoboMerc battle to unwind on a rainy day! A'ight!"

MC Cobra retaliated by latching his RoboMerc's claw-like hands onto Ice's RoboMerc's knee and thrusting it into a pillar that was behind him.

"You're toast, dude!" MC Cobra mocked.

"Rule Numbah One: There are no rules!" Ice replied, and then proceeded to roll his RoboMerc into a tight ball and bowl MC Cobra over. Ice made his RoboMerc get back up and grab one of MC Cobra's RoboMerc's legs and swing him around while cackling maniacally.

After being thrown into the same pillar that Ice had smacked into earlier, MC Cobra was going to counterattack when Shendu's voice barked over the intercom.

"Minions! From this point on, under no circumstances are you to bother Master Tchang Zu! If there is interference, you are to deal with it with extreme prejudice! Do NOT allow annoyances to make it up here!"

"Understood," Hak Foo succinctly responded to Shendu's orders through the intercom.

"We are entering into the final phases of Master Tchang Zu's plot. I cannot stress the importance of this enough. I will be a last line of defense, but we will largely be depending on you to deal with Chan, should he come at the last minute. Failure is not an option."

Shendu turned off the intercom and the Enforcers went back to what they were doing. Chan would show up at the least opportune time. Until then, they'd enjoy themselves. Sure enough, ten minutes later, Chan showed up with his family.

"Chan is here. Battle stations!" Hak Foo barked at the Enforcers.

"Yo! I'm on it!" MC Cobra called, and made his way to the ground floor to clash with the Chans.

Ice shook a fist at MC Cobra's retreating back.

"You'd better leave some for me, Cobra!"

Then Ice ran after MC Cobra. They'd crush the Chans with their two RoboMercs! DJ Fist and Hak Foo, meanwhile, would wait on the second level. The Chans would take the elevator to reach their level if they beat MC Cobra and Ice.

On the ground floor, Jackie was going over the game plan with everyone.

"Uncle and I will go to the top level and deal with Tchang Zu. Tohru, while you would be helpful to Uncle, I want you to help Finn, Ratso, and Chow fend off the Enforcers. Will that be alright?"

Tohru nodded sagely. When Jade heard no mention of her job, Jade piped up.

"What about me, Uncle Jackie? What can I do?!"

Jackie fixed her with a stern gaze.

"You will be staying on the ground floor where you won't get hurt! I…"

Jackie was cut off from saying anything else by the approach of the two RoboMercs.

"Ah, snap!" Ice cackled. "The whole gang's here. You ain't goin' nowhere, Chan!"

Jackie paled at the sight of the giant robots.

"Bad day…"

Tohru got between Jackie and the RoboMercs.

"I will take them on! Hurry to the roof, Jackie!"

MC Cobra laughed at Tohru's bravery.

"You think you can take us both?! You're whack, yo!"

Tohru growled, charged, and tackled MC Cobra's machine. It toppled over without much difficulty. Ice snorted and picked up Tohru with his RoboMerc; Tohru was only half the size of the RoboMercs, after all.

"You're goin' DOWN T-Man!"

Due to Ice and MC Cobra focusing on Tohru, they missed Jackie and Uncle sneaking over to the elevator. Jade requested that Finn, Ratso, and Chow help her with something, and they reluctantly, though amusingly, did.

Suddenly, MC Cobra found himself hoisted out of his RoboMerc and carelessly tossed aside. Jade jumped in and brought the machine back up to its feet, and Finn, Ratso, and Chow surrounded MC Cobra. Ice, in a fit of rage, threw Tohru at Finn, Ratso, Chow, and MC Cobra, not caring if he hit his own ally. He had bigger fish to fry!

"You're gonna lose big time, shrimp! I own at RoboMercs!"

Jade smirked right back at Ice.

"So do I! Let's rumble!"

And so the RoboMerc Battle Royale had begun.

Upstairs, Jackie and Uncle had made it to the second floor before the elevator stopped abruptly. Hak Foo had noticed their attempt at getting to the roof, and had stopped the lift at the control station. DJ Fist had been lying in wait when Uncle and Jackie got off on the second floor, yet it was Uncle that took DJ Fist on instead of Jackie.

DJ Fist rubbed his head soothingly after Uncle delivered a two finger strike. This proved to be his downfall, however, when Uncle got behind him, twisted his right arm, and chopped his neck. DJ Fist howled and fell down, where he was stomped on for good measure. And now he was out cold.

"Who else wants a piece of Uncle…?" Uncle challenged anyone else that might be nearby.

Jackie looked on in complete awe. Uncle still had some fighting spirit in him, and Jackie had to admire that. Jackie didn't leave himself completely defenseless, however: Hak Foo came flying at him, fist extended, and he was ready for it.

"Dragon Fist!" Hak Foo exclaimed.

Jackie caught the fist with one palm and delivered a fist of his own to Hak Foo's face and a knee to his gut. Hak Foo fell backward, clutching his face. Thinking the battle won, Jackie went in for the finishing move, and was shocked when Hak Foo rolled until he was behind him.

"Possum strikes timid bunny!"

"I think you're taking the term 'playing possum' too literally… and possums don't attack bunnies!" Jackie noted, trying to stall long enough to counterattack. But it wasn't meant to be. Jackie was chopped in the back of the neck and swiftly kicked into a pillar that was a few feet away.

Uncle took the opportunity to get behind Hak Foo and sweep him off his feet with a roundhouse kick. It was his plan to irritate Hak Foo enough to make him give chase. Uncle would blast him with Magic at just the right moment.

Uncle jogged further into the newly renovated hideout and towards the big fan that was activated. Hak Foo caught up to Uncle just as he was within feet of the fan. Suddenly hopping out of arm's reach, Uncle got behind Hak Foo again and blasted the red-haired lackey into the fan. Hak Foo yelped when he was blasted into the air by the sheer power of the fan. And the beauty of it was that Uncle's Spell had immobilized him. True, the effects wouldn't last more than fifteen minutes, but that was more than enough time to get to the roof and stop Tchang Zu.

Waking Jackie up with a two finger strike to the forehead, Uncle chastised Jackie.

"Must Uncle do everything?! Uncle is old, and it is not good for Uncle to do all the fighting!"

Jackie rubbed his forehead and apologized profusely.

"I'm sorry, Uncle! Hak Foo caught me off-guard!"

Uncle waved a hand dismissively.

"Excuses! Get elevator up and running, and hurry! Hot-cha!"

Jackie did just that.

Down on the ground floor, the battle between Jade and Ice was quickly turning in Jade's favor. Ice was fighting dirty, but Jade and Tohru had the Enforcer outnumbered. MC Cobra, Finn, Ratso, and Chow were all still disoriented from being crushed by a sumo, but they were all no worse for the wear.

MC Cobra swung his right arm to attack Finn and attempted a roundhouse kick to get at Chow and Ratso. However, Ratso hopped over the sweeping leg, got behind the Enforcer, and snaked his arms beneath MC Cobra's. Momentarily immobilized, MC Cobra couldn't defend himself against Finn's fist to his face. With the Enforcer now knocked out, Finn dusted his hands off and proudly crossed his arms.

"One down, one to go!"

Chow and Ratso turned with Finn to watch Jade take out Ice and his RoboMerc as Tohru held the legs together. Jade smacked Ice into the wall, where she then held Ice against it while Tohru tore off the glass door that protected Ice himself and then removed the shortest Enforcer from the giant robot.

"Don't suppose you're up for another round?" Ice meekly asked as Tohru held him to the wall.

His response was Tohru's big, meaty fist. Ice was out cold.

"So what's the plan now, guys?" Ratso asked while they formed a circle.

"Mr. Chan's probably taken care of anyone upstairs, and there's only one elevator to this joint," Chow mused. "I guess we just wait here for Mr. Chan and Uncle to seal away the Thunder Demon…"

"No way!" Jade voiced her opinion loudly. "With this thing, I KNOW I can help Uncle Jackie!"

Everyone but Jade shook their heads solemnly.

"Way too dangerous, kiddo." Finn remarked.

"You'd probably slip and fall on your way to the top! It's raining cats and dogs out there!" Chow exclaimed.

"I know ya wanna help, Jade, but they're right… it's dangerous…" Ratso lamented.

Jade chose to ignore them and just go for it. She was the one in the robot suit, after all. They couldn't boss her around! Although, Tohru latching onto one of the robot's legs could slow her down…

"Jade, please! Stop!" Tohru begged.

"Sorry, T…" Jade apologized. She slipped the leg out from Tohru's grip and went outside. And before Tohru could do anything else to slow her down, Jade began scaling the tower from the outside…

Meanwhile, Jackie and Uncle were now riding the elevator to the top. Shendu noticed this, however, and pried open the elevator doors at the top. Charging up a fiery blast, Shendu roared, "Sorry, Chan… No visitors." Then Shendu breathed fire on the wires that were bringing up the elevator, and eventually the wires snapped. The elevator began a free fall, which Jackie and Uncle took note of immediately.

"I think Tchang Zu and Shendu know we're here…"

Jackie pried open the elevator doors, but there was nowhere to grab onto; the elevator was falling much too quickly. Jackie and Uncle braced themselves for the inevitable, but were scooped out of the elevator by a giant robotic arm. Jackie blinked when the robot gently placed them atop of its shoulders.

"Sorry I'm late, Uncle Jackie!" Jade said in her peppy voice.

While very relieved to be alive, Jackie was shocked that the controller of the robot seemed to be Jade.

"Wha! Jade! You're supposed to be on the ground, where it's safe!"

Jade talked while she ascended the Space Needle.

"Yeah, but I just NEEDED to come and help, Uncle Jackie! And boy, am I glad I did! You could've been killed back there!"

Jackie numbly watched as the elevator made a sickening crash on the ground level. That COULD have been them. And then who would've stopped Tchang Zu? Well, Tohru probably could have, but…

"Thank you, Jade…" Jackie heaved a sigh. There wasn't much more to say. He probably should request that Jade return to the ground, but it would be futile. Jade was rebellious and stubborn.

The rest of the ascent went on in relative silence; the only sound being the heavy rainfall and the thunder booming overhead. Even though it wasn't nighttime quite yet, the clouds above them were pitch black, and one could only see the sunset in the distance, just barely.

Upon reaching the top, Jackie, Uncle, and Jade were met with Shendu's disbelieving howl and Tchang Zu's furious roar. Shendu was by the elevator shaft, and Tchang Zu stood under the lightning rod, his arms braced against the metal bars holding it up.

"HOW?!" Shendu cried.

"Shendu, deal with these pests immediately! I will not allow this slayer of Demons to interfere in my moment of triumph!"

Shendu growled in irritation, but swiftly obeyed. He charged at Jackie, who met him head-on.

"Jade, just stay put!" Jackie ground out, fighting tooth and nail to make Shendu stay put. It was hard fighting the Demon Sorcerer, even though he was in Valmont's body. Acquiring super strength without the Ox Talisman had to be cheating!

"Sorry, Uncle Jackie, can't hear you! Uncle needs a distraction, and I'm ready to kick Thunder Demon butt!"

"NO! JADE!" Jackie cried helplessly as she leaped over him and Shendu and charged at Tchang Zu with the RoboMerc.

Shendu chuckled darkly.

"Your niece is foolish to challenge my brother… Though my brother is minutes away from wiping out all of Seattle, she will be the first to perish! Her demise will be quite entertaining!"

Jackie was angered by Shendu's jeering, and that drove him to fight back even harder. Letting the Fire Demon 'win' their little wrestling match, Jackie stopped pushing into Shendu abruptly and slid between Valmont's legs. Shendu was caught off guard, and he went dangerously close to the edge of the tower. Jackie fixed that, however, and kicked Valmont in the back, and thus the Fire Demon began a free fall all the way to the bottom. Of course, being a Demon Sorcerer in human flesh, Shendu expertly maneuvered close to the tower and slowed his descent until he reached the bottom. Shendu contemplated returning to the top, but knew that Chan had won that round. It was three against one now up there; no matter how powerful Tchang Zu was, he couldn't beat the power of Chan's teamwork with his family. By the time he returned to the top, Tchang Zu would've been beaten. Oh well, Shendu never really liked his brother of Thunder much anyway.

And so, Shendu beat a hasty tactical retreat. He would get Chan NEXT time. Calling forth his Shadowkhan, Shendu had them retrieve his minions, and then made them teleport him back to the fish cannery.

Back at the top of the structure, Tchang Zu was very, very angry that his brother had abandoned him. Just a couple of more minutes, and his plan would come to fruition! If he could hold out that long, then Tchang Zu could wipe out Jackie Chan and the Chi Wizard along with this pathetic city of infidels. In theory, he could scrap the attack and retreat, but Tchang Zu the Thunder Demon NEVER retreated. And he absolutely refused to be beaten a second time! The first time had been to the Immortal 'Royal Uncle Cao', and that had been embarrassing enough!

Tchang Zu halted the RoboMerc's charge and firmly stood in place, not giving an inch. Jade pushed as hard as she could, but the Thunder Demon would just not budge. In fact, Jade found herself being pushed back; was it possible that the Thunder Demon was stronger than the robot?

She got her answer when Tchang Zu DID manage to shove her away through effort. Jade charged again. Same result, except this time he held her back with one hand, and then punched her away fiercely with the other.

"You die here, infidel!" Tchang Zu bellowed at Jade before she could go for a third try. He charged up an electrical attack in his hands and fired at the RoboMerc, which sent her reeling back.

"Whoa!" Jade recovered her balance, but not quickly enough. Tchang Zu fired another electrical attack, and she went stumbling back even further; for whatever reason, Tchang Zu was not leaving the spot he was standing in. Perhaps it had to do with whatever plan he was cooking up…?

Jade tried to block the continuous electrical beam, but it was useless. She kept careening closer and closer to the edge of the Space Needle. And all she could do was pop open the glass door and hope to escape before the robot plunged over the edge. Well, she did make it, but she was left dangling on the edge of the tower. And she was slipping because of all the water!

"JACKIE!" Jade cried out.

Jackie was already moving towards her before the robot had gone over the edge. Jackie hoisted her up and hugged her tightly.

"Jade, I'm glad you're okay…"

Tchang Zu snorted indignantly at the enemy's weakness. Humans were so pitiful!

"I'll kill two birds with one stone…" Tchang Zu rumbled, charging up a thunderbolt in his right hand.

Jade noticed this and frightfully pointed at Tchang Zu.

"Jackie! Thunder Demon's on the offensive again!"

Jackie's eyes bulged, and he leaped out of the way just in time to dodge the thrown thunderbolt. Hastily, but gently, setting Jade down, Jackie made a zigzag towards Tchang Zu. Hopefully the Thunder Demon would aim for him and not Jade. He wasn't disappointed.

"I admire your tenacity, Jackie Chan, but this is the end of the line for you. In one minute, I shall have total victory. You have lost!"

Jackie's face hardened with determination, and he kept rushing at Tchang Zu. He barely dodged another thunderbolt, and another one after that one. This was the endgame. It was all up to Uncle now.

"Jade! Chi Spell is nearly ready! Take castanets and get close to Tchang Zu! Play them when Uncle tells you!"

Jade ran over and accepted the castanets. This was going to be close. She made a dash for the Thunder Demon, but kept moving in case Tchang Zu turned his attention to her. Jackie, meanwhile, was having his life flash before his eyes with each thunderbolt he dodged. This was NOT good for his health!

Tchang Zu dully watched Jackie dance. This was getting boring, and yet…

"Thirty seconds… Twenty five…" As Tchang Zu counted down to his victory, he heard a chanting.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!"

Tchang Zu's eyes widened and he turned his attention to the Chi Wizard.

"DIE!" Wasting no time, Tchang Zu quickly charged up a thunderbolt and threw it at Uncle dead on. It was unfortunate that Jackie Chan had managed to save the old man just in the nick of time, but it was even more unfortunate that he had focused on the wrong person. Jade, who was now VERY close to Tchang Zu, merrily clapped the castanets several times, which resulted in the Chi Spell shooting out at Tchang Zu and enveloping him in an emerald glow. Tchang Zu roared ferociously. Ten seconds left! TEN! But now his plans were foiled, and he could do nothing about it!

"NOOOOOOO!"

Feeling the tug back to his Portal, Tchang Zu fought with all his might to stay standing in that spot for just a little longer. But alas, the tug was too strong, and all his hard work was lost. The second he left his spot beneath the lightning rod, the clouds instantly parted, revealing it to still be evening. Tchang Zu roared angrily all the way to his Portal, where, unbelievably, no one witnessed him getting sucked into the fiery vortex.

Back at the top of the Space Needle, Jackie heaved a sigh of relief.

"It's over… Ow!" Jackie groaned receiving another two finger strike to the forehead.

"Get off of Uncle! It is NOT over! Shendu still has the Panku Box! There are still four Demon Sorcerers that can be released from the nether realm!"

Jackie rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I meant the threat of Tchang Zu is over, Uncle. I know we still have to retrieve the Panku Box…"

"Hmph." Uncle grunted. "Of course threat of Demon of Thunder is over."

Jade walked over to the elevator that was no longer in service, and then she walked to the edge of the Space Needle.

"Uh… guys? How are we gonna get down?"

Jackie face palmed. They only got up there because of the RoboMerc. And with that out of commission…

"I'll call Captain Black," Jackie sighed.

It wasn't a perfect ending, but it was good enough.

**As a side note, Jackie Chan was actually the victim of a death hoax recently, though of course it was different from what was described here. If you want a link to the article that Jamey shared with me, you can ask and I'll send you one through PM. As far as I know, the 'RoboMerc' series that Jade and the Ice Crew play was never given a source, a gaming company that produced it, so I went with Nintendo. Took some creative liberty there; Nintendo of America really is based in Seattle, though. And JCA was produced by Sony, who is a nemesis of Nintendo, apparently. A bit ironic for me to make that so, but it's FANfiction, so hopefully that's not a big deal to anyone. It's a trivial point anyway. I'll fix it if anyone REALLY wants me to. This will be the last update before my classes begin, and will likely be the last one until winter break for me. Apologies in advance; five classes and other duties will keep me busy, and I don't want to slack off in my studies, even if it'd be for a good cause, like updating this. I'll write when I can, but no promises.**

**Review Replies: **

** Ultimate Black Ace: Happy to have an unpredictable plot, then. The leftover residue was a relatively new idea for the plot, but we'll have to wait and see what happens later down the line. There's still Tarakudo to tango with, eventually…**

** Alana Fox: I do apologize again for the long wait last time. There are only five seasons once again; the Jyutlong will play a more prominent role starting next season. Unlike Seasons One and Two, however, their role will be far from neutral. In essence, they're the final threat, well, 'ambassadors' of the final threat, so to speak. You'll have to wait for Season Five to learn everything…**

** nightmaster000: Glad last chapter was enjoyable. It was challenging to write all that out. And we'll probably see the residual Shadow Magic in Jade resolved in Season Four or Five. **

** ultima-owner: Glad you think so! They'll be more of a hindrance in Season Four, though. Epically moreso than they were last chapter. **

** OMAC001: I can't promise anything, but I'll try and not make the wait any longer than necessary. This upcoming semester is going to be busy for me, so I might not be able to post again until winter break. I'll write when I can, but again, I can't promise much.**


	19. Running Water

Storm clouds rumbled as rain fell on the streets of Rome. The wind was fairly strong as it blew newspapers and other pieces of litter around. If people lacked umbrellas as they walked about the capital of Italy, then they were snug in their coats as they kept them firmly close to their bodies and went about their day-to-day business.

A taxi cab pulled up to a curb, and four men emerged from it. A fifth man came running up to the group after the taxi driver drove off after being sufficiently paid. They all wore thick gray trench coats, and had black hats on their heads.

"Come, my Sister Bai Tsa awaits her release," Shendu hissed at the Enforcers. As if to emphasize that, the Panku Box glowed faintly when Hak Foo pointed it in a certain direction.

Hak Foo took the lead, and the Dark Hand followed him as the Panku Box's glow intensified slowly. They eventually reached an abandoned alleyway that wasn't exactly in the best shape. None of that mattered to Shendu, though, because the Panku Box was soon ripped out of Hak Foo's hands by an unseen force. The Box levitated to a stone carving on the ground and inserted into the 'key hole' that presented itself when the Panku Box was close enough. After that, the Demon Portal opened along the ground, which was new for the Dark Hand, and they all took a tentative step back.

Light shot up into the air, and then suddenly water sprang up, too. The water twisted and undulated until it was all atop of the Portal. Then it started to take shape, spinning and twirling in the air like that. First, arms extended outward, and blue clawed hands were formed; then the body connected to those arms, blue and white forming mysterious markings, which was mermaid-like in appearance, but the tail appeared more like a fin; and finally, the head took shape, the head being a lighter shade of blue, with tentacles for hair, and piercing, glowing red eyes like Shendu's.

"Wh-Whoa!" Ice exclaimed. "A Medusa-mermaid?! Dawg, that be trippy!"

Shendu smirked, ignoring Ice's outburst.

"Join us, lovely Bai Tsa! And welcome back!"

The Demon Portal closed once Bai Tsa slithered off of it, its task complete. Bai Tsa stroked her chin thoughtfully and slowly circled around Valmont's body.

"Hmm… So this is the body you ended up possessing… I must say, you could have done better than this pitiful specimen, Shendu." Bai Tsa criticized her brother.

Shendu scowled.

"I _would _have selected Jackie Chan, but this fool got in the way! This… _failure _of an ally does not only lack physical strength, but an adequate skill set as well. I am very fortunate to have been able to retain my own abilities, or there would be _problems_…" Shendu groused.

Bai Tsa seemed to consider this, and silence ensued for several moments as she gazed appraisingly at Valmont's body, which made Shendu slightly uncomfortable. Then, out of nowhere, Bai Tsa charged up a water ball in her right hand and threw it right in Valmont's face harshly, which had the desired effect of Shendu crying out in surprise and eliciting laughter from Shendu's lackeys. Bai Tsa smirked.

"You looked a little sleepy, brother dearest," Bai Tsa crooned. "I thought I would wake you up a little."

Shendu grumbled irritably, trying to shake off as much water as possible, and wipe away the water that had gotten in his eyes.

"And you had to do that with water…?" Shendu deadpanned.

Bai Tsa shrugged.

"It was the most amusing way to accomplish the task. A little water never hurt anyone! Just look, you're wide awake now!" Bai Tsa cackled with glee.

Shendu growled. He shot out, "Except I am the Fire Demon! I really don't like water all that much!" He calmed down. "Was that really necessary?"

Bai Tsa scoffed, "It's a light punishment compared to what Po Kong, Hsi Wu, and Tchang Zu would want done to you. But I'm here on Earth, and they're not. I didn't even think Tchang Zu's demand was worth it, since he was interfering with our release by sidetracking you."

Shendu shuddered as Tchang Zu was brought up. The insufferable ogre no doubt wanted him thoroughly electrocuted or some such thing… Worst sibling Sorcerer ever.

Shaking his head, Shendu attempted to get serious.

"So what will you be doing now, Sister? Going back to Atlantis?"

Bai Tsa nodded.

"I may appreciate my overdue freedom, but I will not rule the world from this… pitiful area of mediocrity."

"This… alleyway?" MC Cobra offered meekly.

"Whatever you humans call it. This alleyway does not hold a candle to Atlantis. Even if the rain is most pleasing…" Bai Tsa outstretched her arms and basked in the stormy weather. "And I suppose you will continue on your quest to free the others, Shendu?"

"Naturally…" Shendu blandly said. "It would be preferable to deal with Jackie Chan first, but he has proven most resilient and tenacious. I suggest keeping your distance from him if you wish to keep your freedom, Sister."

Bai Tsa snorted.

"But as Tchang Zu discovered, even that was not enough to guarantee his eternal freedom." Bai Tsa pointed out. "But I digress… Farewell for now, Brother."

And with that, Bai Tsa leaped onto the ground, transforming into a stream of water that exited the alleyway. Shendu continued to scowl, trying to dry his face a little more. Sister Bai Tsa certainly enjoyed irritating him with frivolous, simple pranks dealing with water.

"Let us return to headquarters…" Shendu growled, dissatisfied with the rainy weather and his failed attempts at drying his face.

The ride home wasn't much better, what with the Enforcers' persistent pestering questions about Sister Bai Tsa…

_- At Uncle's Rare Finds –_

Uncle's shop was a whirlwind of chaos that day. Though the shop was closed for the week for Christmas, Jade, the Aides, and Tohru were still busy putting up Christmas decorations, and were having a fun time doing it. Jackie had been partaking in the festivities until he got a call from Captain Black.

"Merry Christmas, Captain Black!" Jackie greeted once he found a nice, quiet room upstairs.

_"… Merry Christmas, Jackie. I just wanted to call and let you know that Section 13 is working on a tracking device that you can stick to one of the Dark Hand thugs during one of your battles."_

"A tracking device?" Jackie repeated. He grinned. "That's wonderful! When do you think it will be ready?"

_"… Unfortunately, it's still going to take us a while to get it developed," Captain Black's voice sounded apologetic. "But as soon as it's ready, you'll be the first to know. I'm tired of sitting back and saying, "Next time." It's about time we took action."_

Jackie nodded.

"I feel the same, Captain Black. Thank you for doing this for us! You will be here tomorrow night, right?"

_"Jade's little 'operation' is still on, eh?" Captain Black sounded amused. "I'll try and be there."_

"Then I will see you tomorrow," Jackie smiled. "Merry Christmas!"

Captain Black hung up, and Jackie did so too, soon after. Massaging his head a little, Jackie left the room after pocketing his phone. They had sealed away three Demon Sorcerers, but they weren't any closer to catching the Dark Hand, and that bothered Jackie greatly. Even banishing away three Demon Sorcerers wasn't that great of an accomplishment, when one got right down to it; there were four more to go, if they let the Dark Hand continue their quest.

Downstairs, Jade was helping put up Christmas lights atop Tohru's shoulders. Jade wanted Christmas lights _everywhere_. At least get up as much as they could afford and get away with; that is, still have Uncle's Rare Finds livable without having to step over and avoid strands. One would be surprised how much they were getting away with, stapling strands to the ceiling, high along the walls, along railings, etc. They were really going all out.

Finn, Ratso, and Chow, meanwhile, were decorating the Christmas tree, which was much more laid back, in comparison to all the lights that were being thrown up. It was as all this was going on that Uncle came to the front of the shop, appearing frazzled and very concerned.

Chow noticed Uncle muttering to himself, and decided to find out what was bothering the Chi Wizard.

"What's up, Unc?"

Uncle didn't reply, as he ran his hands through his hair and paced back and forth. When Chow didn't garner a response, Tohru decided he'd try.

"Sensei, is something the matter?"

Fed up with all the noise, Uncle screamed.

"AIIIYAAAH! Uncle's Locator Spell is not workiiing!"

This didn't seem to bother anyone else. Jade spoke up after a few moments.

"You're probably just tired, Unc! Why don't ya take a break?"

Tohru seemed to concur.

"You have been working on it nonstop, Sensei. Are you sure you've been performing it correctly?"

Uncle whirled around and faced Tohru agitatedly.

"You doubt Uncle's Spells?!"

"N-No, Sensei!" Tohru assured his mentor. "But it is possible to make mistakes…"

"Uncle does not make mistakes! Uncle has not performed Spell wrong in years!"

Finn laughed at that.

"I'm sure you're exaggerating a bit there; you probably made some small mistake and didn't acknowledge it or you weren't aware of it. I mean, nobody's perfect!"

Uncle pointed accusingly at Finn.

"You doubt Uncle's Spells, too! Uncle does not make mistakes when it comes to Spells!" Uncle continued to insist.

"Either way, take a break, Unc!" Jade put forth again. "Your eyes kinda look bloodshot there…"

Uncle kept shaking his head.

"Uncle cannot rest… Not until Locator Spell is working…"

"But it's almost Christmas!" Jade whined.

Uncle ran his hands through his hair again.

"All Uncle wants for Christmas is Panku Box… Can any of you give that to Uncle? No? Then let Uncle work!" Uncle twitched slightly and made his way to the backroom, slamming the door behind him.

"We've seriously gotta cheer him up." Jade muttered. "He's a real Scrooge lately."

Ratso chuckled.

"He is! A magic-wielding Scrooge!"

Chow and Finn joined in his laughter, but Jade noticed that Tohru didn't share in their amusement.

"What's up, T?" Jade asked curiously.

Tohru rubbed the back of his head, being careful of Jade on his shoulder.

"Uncle is not worrying needlessly… He is right in that something is interfering with the Locator Spell; it began malfunctioning a few days ago. I just wish that I could help…"

"You will, T!" Jade exclaimed. "Tomorrow's Christmas Party will get him to lighten up for sure!"

Stealing one more glance at the door to the backroom, Tohru sighed deeply.

"I hope so, Jade…"

_- Somewhere underwater… -_

Bai Tsa at last reached the site of her ancient kingdom of Atlantis. It had been far too long since she had gazed upon it… and Bai Tsa was _not _pleased. It was obvious just by looking at the scene that no one inhabited the kingdom anymore.

Ancient stone structures lay there in ruins. Some stood but with chunks missing, while others were completely wrecked and unrecognizable. There was a statue or two that were mostly intact, but Bai Tsa thought that they appeared to be pagan idols. At least there weren't any bodies… Bai Tsa probably would have been far more livid if there had been bodies left behind to rot. Humanity would pay dearly.

Clenching her fists, Bai Tsa shrieked long and hard. She had some frustrations to work out.

"My undersea metropolis lays sieged! Time has _not _been kind…" Bai Tsa muttered darkly. "Very well. I shall establish a new empire somewhere else…"

Without sparing even a single glance more, Bai Tsa swam away from her old home. She needed to bounce ideas off of someone that she didn't consider below her. And right now there was only one being that fit that description, even if he inhabited a feeble human body at the moment…

_- At the Helm's Fish Cannery –_

Shendu, the Enforcers, and Hak Foo returned to base after a 'job well done', according to Shendu. There was snow in San Fran, but at least it wasn't too snowy around the Helm's Fish Cannery; that's what Shendu thought, anyway. Shendu entered the building, followed by Hak Foo, while the Enforcers engaged each other in a snowball fight outside. As far as Shendu was concerned, he didn't care; they could afford to take a _small _break after unleashing Bai Tsa. But DJ Fist would need to get back to solving the Panku Box soon so that the other Demon Sorcerers could be set free.

As Shendu got settled to rummaging through a trunk that his Shadowkhan brought to him, it was then that a white-haired beauty with alluring red eyes strutted into the Cannery confidently and with poise. Hak Foo watched her intriguingly as she walked right up to Shendu as he was pulling out a special garment that he intended to make Valmont wear to make him more comfortable.

"I was not aware that blue was your color, Brother," The mystery woman purred into Valmont's ear, which made Shendu jump.

"Don't… do that… _Sister dear_…" Shendu ground out, putting the costume away for the time being, now that his sister was here.

The white-haired young woman giggled. It was at that time that Hak Foo realized that Shendu had called her 'Sister', and his eyes bugged out at the implications.

"I couldn't resist," Bai Tsa smirked, purposefully sitting on top of the chest that Shendu locked up again. "Did you know that humans are so gullible? I caught quite the number of… _admirers_… on my way through your San Fran. It was quite amusing."

Shendu narrowed his eyes at Bai Tsa.

"Your point?"

Bai Tsa's chuckle was his only explanation.

"Watch this." She gave a sideways glance to Ice as he walked through the door. Reaching up to her hair, she brushed the loopie on the right side of her head and smiled at the teen.

Ice's eyes popped out at the incredibly cute girl that was standing in the Cannery. Giving off a woof whistle, he said, "Wow. Who is this chick?"

"Come over here and I'll tell you," she said. Shendu smiled. Ice clearly did not know what he was doing, but it would be entertaining to see a stupid human get lulled into a Demoness's arms.

Ice strutted over, smiling coyly. After he put a hand on her shoulder, she said, "Nice to see you again."

Morphing into her full Demon form, Bai Tsa laughed evilly and amusingly as Ice jumped back, screamed, and ran. That was just too much fun.

Putting her hand to her mouth to silence herself, she turned to Shendu,

"Atlantis is ruined. Direct me to a place where I can build a suitable new realm beneath the seas."

Shendu gesticulated.

"That's why you're here?" Shendu asked disbelievingly. "Go… flood a city or… something…"

Bai Tsa sternly stared at her Brother of Fire.

"Out of all our siblings, you have fought this Jackie Chan the longest, and you currently evade him. I would very much like your assistance in finding myself a suitable new empire from which to rule the world." At his incredulous stare, she added, "Without interference from Jackie Chan."

Shendu motioned to himself as he began to pace around the room.

"Do you have any idea of what you are asking, Sister? That is a very tall order, and not one that I can guarantee to fulfill. I do not know how Chan does it, but despite staying a step ahead of him, that man always shows up at the most inopportune moments and ruins everything!"

Bai Tsa crossed her arms.

"You helped Hsi Wu and Tchang Zu…"

"Because one offered a chance to deeply wound Chan, if not outright eliminate him, and because the other subjugates even his own siblings!" Shendu admitted. "Will you stall my quest to free our remaining brothers?"

Bai Tsa scoffed.

"Because it looked like you were working _so _hard…" Bai Tsa sarcastically replied. "How about this: You scratch my back, I scratch yours, Shendu. It is a phrase that I picked up walking around your San Fran, and I believe it is fitting in this situation, is it not?"

Shendu seemed to consider this, and then he threw his arms up in the air.

"Very well! I will help you…" Shendu grudgingly conceded. "Hak Foo! Gather the Enforcers and bring them here!"

Hak Foo silently nodded and went to fetch them. Turning his attention back to Bai Tsa, Shendu said, "Your best option is to sink a city or an island… Do you have any preferences?"

Bai Tsa pondered this.

"No, not especially. About the only condition that I have is that the new empire must have the potential to surpass the old one. I will do much of the work that is required to make it as grand as Atlantis, but if the city has the potential to be greater already…"

Shendu considered this as the Enforcers walked in. Shendu pointed to MC Cobra.

"You! What is a great city that my Sister may take as the capital of her new empire?"

MC Cobra sweated due to being put on the spot like that.

"Uh… Well… How about here, dawg? I-I mean, sir?"

Shendu narrowed his eyes.

"Explain yourself."

MC Cobra shakily nodded.

"Y-Yeah, um… Well… You gotta flood the joint, right? Make it underwater? Thing is, San Fran is right along San Andres Fault Line, really susceptible to earthquakes and all that jazz. Wouldn't that, uh… Be really beneficial and whatnot to flooding the joint? O-Oh! And Chan's here, too, so if you drown him, bye-bye enemy of Demons!"

Bai Tsa considered this for several moments. Then she shook her head.

"It is too close to this Jackie Chan… I do not want his interference."

MC Cobra blinked, but nodded shakily again.

"Uh… Th-that's cool, dawg. Erm… There's plenty of other fault lines around the world… Just lemme think of one…"

"Can you not flood a city without a fault line?" Hak Foo queried. "You are the Water Demon…"

Bai Tsa shrugged.

"Yes, but your friend does bring up a good point about fault lines speeding up the process…" When nobody spoke up after a while, Bai Tsa snapped. "Shendu! I demand you and your minions come up with a suitable place for my new undersea empire at once! I refuse to be returned to the void so soon after being freed!"

Everyone panicked a little with Bai Tsa's shift in mood, but no one could think of a specific place that would please Bai Tsa.

"Well… Why not m-make the whole world yours, dawg?" Ice spoke up eventually.

Bai Tsa narrowed her eyes at the teenager.

"Elaborate."

Ice rubbed the back of his head.

"There's a bunch of water all frozen in a place called Antarctica. Wouldn't that, uh… be a way to compare and whatnot? If you just sink one joint, ya might not be satisfied with it! But if you sink a big chunk of the world ya got options, right?"

Bai Tsa visibly brightened at that suggestion.

"Hmm. Wonderful idea! But, I do like all types of water, and I would enjoy having a few islands of pitiful survivors worship me before I sink them."

Ice nervously nodded.

"O-Of course, dawg! I-I mean, ma'am!"

Bai Tsa turned to face Shendu yet again.

"Shendu! You will take me to this Antarctica at once! I am most intrigued by a continent made entirely out of frozen water…"

Shendu twitched and tried to appear happy for his sister.

"N-naturally, Sister… Flying will be the quickest way there. There will be some trouble in procuring a jet, but we will get you there as quickly as possible…" Shendu glared at Ice heatedly. "You and I will be having a small chat… The rest of you will ready the car. "

Ice whimpered, and MC Cobra and DJ Fist didn't look the least bit sorry to be leaving him to Shendu's mercy as they hightailed it out of there with Hak Foo.

Bai Tsa morphed back into a young woman and winked playfully at Ice before walking after the other Enforcers and Hak Foo. Ice just continued to cower in front of Shendu…

_- At Uncle's Rare Finds – _

Hours later, decorations are all set up at Uncle's Rare Finds. Christmas lights thoroughly cover ceilings, walls, doorways, and railings, as did ribbons tinsel. Candy canes were strewn up strings over doorways, and there were at least three gingerbread houses lying around. The Christmas tree was loaded with ornaments, and last of all, Jade, Tohru, Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Jackie were all wearing Santa hats.

"Jade, don't you think this is a bit much?" Jackie asked hesitantly, gazing about the shop.

Pretending a candy can was a cigar as she held it in her mouth, Jade shook her head.

"No way, Uncle Jackie! We haven't even gotten the party favors yet!" Jade beamed up at him.

Jackie scratched his head in confusion.

"Party… favors…?"

Finn gave Jackie a dry grin.

"Jade considers all the party materials 'party favors'. Even the food."

"Sooo much food!" Jade had a dreamy look in her eye. Jackie nervously chuckled.

"We've already went overboard with decorations, Jade… I don't think we'll go crazy on party food… or anything else we still have to buy…"

"Party hats, candy, punch, soda, candy, noise makers, party games, candy, Uncle's gift…" Jade continued to ramble on and on.

Jackie patted her head.

"Yes… We're going easy on those things… Especially the candy." Jackie told her sternly.

"Awww…" Jade moaned at the unfairness of it all. "But what about Uncle's gift?"

"We will get him something nice, but we won't go crazy on anything else. This is just between all of us and Captain Black, if he can make it. It's a family event, and it doesn't need to be treated as a fancy public one…"

Jade appeared sadder and sadder at every word that Jackie spoke; he was sucking all the fun out of this thing… And then just like magic, Uncle appeared and distracted Jackie long enough for Jade to swipe Jackie's wallet.

"Uncle has successfully used Locator Spell! Water Demon is free!" Uncle said worriedly, suddenly emerging from the backroom. "She is on her way to Antarctica with the Dark Hand! If Water Demon reaches frozen continent, Uncle does not know what she will dooo!"

Everyone looked alarmed at the news of the Water Demon being out and about. Uncle was right; if she was on her way to Antarctica, there was no telling what she'd do!

"I'll call Captain Black." Jackie replied after recovering from the initial shock. "He'll get us a quick ride down there, and he'll look after Jade."

Jade moaned again.

"But JACKIIIEEE… I have to come!"

"We've been through this before Jade, you know this is too dangerous. You must stay here with Captain Black."

Jade stomped her foot, playing her ace-in-the-hole.

"But we're two days from Christmas! Family should stick together!"

Jackie ruffled her hair, not feeling guilty about leaving her behind.

"It will be good then that Uncle Captain Black will be here for you; you don't want him to be alone so close to Christmas, do you?"

Jade harrumphed and looked away sourly. To make it up to her, Jackie said, "If you stay with Captain Black, I will let you have a little more freedom in getting what you want for the party."

Jade pretended to consider this for appearances' sake, and then nodded, crossing her fingers behind her back.

"I promise, Uncle Jackie." Jade said sweetly. Jackie frowned.

"Jade…"

"No need to worry, Uncle Jackie! I'll stay right here!"

Jackie still didn't look convinced, but he began to walk away as he pulled his phone out.

"I'll just call Captain Black… And I'll leave you some pizza money." Jackie used his other hand to reach into his pocket to pull out his wallet, only to find it gone. Jackie sternly looked at Jade. "Jade…"

Jade grinned like a Cheshire cat and held the wallet out to him. Jackie thumbed through it.

"And the credit card…" Jackie sighed.

Jade pouted and handed him a card. Jackie handed her twenty bucks, and she took it gleefully. Then he went to call Captain Black. Too bad Jackie forgot he had two cards in his wallet; an expired one that he had meant to shred that day, and the other an actual working one. Jade would make sure he got it back though, eventually.

After preparations were made, the Chans left the shop and got on a private jet, intent on banishing a Water Demon.

_- Meanwhile, at Antarctica… - _

The Enforcers shivered as they got off the stolen jet they used to get to the frozen continent. Up until now, they'd only seen the ice continent in pictures and movies. Now they were actually there, and bundled up with several winter coats.

"D-Dawg… Medusa-fish lady's got a lot of guts comin' d-down here…" Ice's teeth chattered.

"Yeah, no k-kiddin'. J-Just don't let her h-hear you s-s-sayin' that, d-dawg!" MC Cobra rubbed his arms together.

DJ Fist silently shivered, but nodded all the same. All that could be seen for miles was ice; there was nary a living soul around.

"If warmth is what you desire, Ice, you need only ask…" Shendu hissed, striding past the Enforcers, in a couple winter coats of his own so that Valmont would not freeze to death. Ice moved all the way over to the opposite side of DJ Fist, to gain as much distance from the Fire Demon as possible.

They were all torn from their banter by Bai Tsa, who shrieked in delight, having taken her full demonic form again.

"It's more wonderful than I imagined! Oh, you were indeed correct, Ice!" Bai Tsa declared, slithering around on the ice excitedly. "Ooh… To feel so much water underneath us… It's marvelous!"

Ice could only shudder at her level of ecstasy. Ice was cool 'n all, but it was still just water…

"Control yourself, Sister…" Shendu warned. "I have agreed to let you melt part of this sheet of ice… But you must not go overboard. I still have to access the other Portals, and I'm sure that our Brothers will want dry land to rule over…"

Bai Tsa playfully slithered around a little more before affirming that she remembered her… negotiations… with Shendu.

"Yes, yes, Brother… Do forgive me, but a whole continent of water… This thrills me to no end, Shendu!"

Shendu watched as she went back to slithering around. She was getting too excited again.

"Sister dear, focus! I am certain that Jackie Chan will come along before the day is done."

"Uh… I-isn't this j-j-joint sunny 'til March, Shendude?" MC Cobra queried.

Realization dawned on Ice.

"Hey, yeah! We got all the time in the world, then!"

Shendu face palmed. He faced his sister urgently.

"Get to work, Bai Tsa. Jackie Chan is not to be trifled with. Even with our protection, Chan has been able to vanquish Hsi Wu and Tchang Zu…"

Bai Tsa finally settled down.

"Of course, Brother…"

"Will you require my flame?" Shendu inquired.

Bai Tsa crossed her arms.

"I am perfectly capable of manipulating water, Shendu! Do not underestimate my power!"

Shendu graciously bowed.

"Very well. Then we will remain here, for when Chan arrives…"

"N-Not if?" MC Cobra chuckled, but recoiled when Shendu glared daggers at him. "Hehe…"

"Yo, Medusa-fish!" Ice called out to Bai, which garnered a glare from her. "Er… Leave enough room for our plane to leave, d-dawg! We'll need a runway!"

Bai shook her head, but complied with the short Enforcer.

"Very well…"

Slithering even farther away, Bai Tsa got to work melting Antarctica. She proved to work in a refined manner, as a small circle was made at her location that inched wider and wider, water gushing down all sides of the circle.

A while later, after the Dark Hand sat there for hours, bored, the sound of an approaching jet reached Valmont's ears. Leaping to the top of the stolen jet, Shendu could see a jet coming in for a landing roughly a quarter of a mile away from their location. Hissing in aggravation, Shendu called down to his minions.

"Chan approaches! Go intercept him, and do not let the Chi Wizard near my Sister!" Shendu roared.

The Enforcers leaped to action, and ran right out of the cozy, warm jet they were in. Hak Foo followed them in his fur coats.

Jackie, Tohru, Finn, Ratso, and Chow disembark, while Uncle pauses to make sure he has all the Chi Spell ingredients. Jade pops open the baggage compartment she stowed away in and jumped to Jackie's side.

"Waddya say we slay a Water Demon, Jackie?!" Jade put her hands on her hips.

Jackie had to pound his speeding heart to slow it down.

"Wah! Jade!"

"Why are you so surprised that she tags along every time, Mr. Chan?" Ratso asked out of curiosity, not surprised anymore himself. "Jade always finds some way to tag along. At least she's helpful sometimes…"

Chow laughed a little.

"Yeah… The kid's saved your butt a time or two, Mr. Chan!"

Jackie sighed miserably, but dealt with it.

"Stay here with Uncle!" Jackie told her. Then he turned to Finn, Ratso, and Chow. "Do you guys mind helping me out? I will need to distract Bai Tsa…"

Finn worriedly pointed in a certain direction.

"Uh… Before that, I think we're gonna have to deal with those guys… again…" Finn said, eyes wide open.

Jackie panicked at seeing the Dark Hand thugs rushing at them, now that they were within yards of them.

"Polar Bear Impales Fish!" Hak Foo roared fiercely, pouncing at Jackie.

Jackie calmed down a little, crouched down, and positioned himself to kick the incoming Hak Foo in the chest, which was a success, surprisingly. Hak Foo went flying back several feet, even yards. Not waiting for the man to get a second wind, Jackie charged after him.

The Enforcers charged the Aides, and Tohru held back Jade, who wanted to help fight off the hired help.

"Awww…" Jade moaned at being held back by Tohru.

Tohru wagged a pointer finger at her.

"It will be too cold for Sensei to leave the plane. I will need your help in casting the Chi Spell, after Uncle prepares it."

"_Fine_…" Jade scowled, crossing her arms, not liking it one bit.

DJ Fist and Ratso clashed, arms pushing against one another. Fist tried to knee Ratso in the stomach, but Ratso kneed him, effectively preventing that. With Fist bent over now, Ratso yanked Fist's hood over his face and spun him around like a top. DJ Fist slid around the ice, and ultimately fell down when he couldn't keep his balance on the slick surface.

MC Cobra tried to grab Chow, but Chow twirled him and Cobra around in such a way that he was behind Cobra and he had an arm of Cobra in his hands each. That successfully pulled off, Chow wrapped Cobra's skinny arms in a knot via the sleeves of the Enforcer's coat. Without the use of his arms, MC Cobra tried to desperately whip around and plow into Chow with his noggin, but Chow dodged at the last second, and Cobra ended up smacking face first into the ice, even leaving a small bruise from the impact.

Finn was having a rougher time tussling with Ice. Ice kept kicking him whenever he made a grab at Ice, and occasionally the teenager would make lightning quick jabs to the chest.

"Hehe! Give it up, ya clown! Strikemaster Ice is King of da Ice Rink!"

As if to prove his point, Ice purposefully and skillfully slid around, avoiding Finn's pathetic attempts at attacks. Finn even tripped over his own two feet with sliding around and trying to catch Ice. With the lead Aide down, Ice went in for a drop kick to finish the match, but Finn rolled on his back and caught the incoming foot. Then he flipped Ice in the air with both hands, and sat up when Ice landed in the ice and snow on his head. With Ice temporarily discombobulated, Finn rushed over, shoveled up some snow, stuffed it into Ice's hood, and forcefully yanked the hood over Ice's face, making the lead Enforcer scream his head off.

"I thought you _liked _the cold, Ice!" Finn smirked.

"Yeah! Show 'em, Finn!" Jade cheered. To Ice, she said, "Looks like you're gonna be getting coal again, eh?"

Ice twitched at the jibe, and vengefully rose up and swung at Finn, but Finn's reflexes were spot-on, and he caught the punch and swung Ice around instead, swinging him into MC Cobra, who had just struggled to get up. Ratso head-butted DJ Fist after dodging an assault from the Enforcer, head-butting the teenager onto the Enforcer pile. Finn, Ratso, and Chow then surrounded them, but the Enforcers quickly got up and scrambled to get away before they were incapacitated and hauled back to Section 13.

They slipped and fell uncontrollably a number of times before they managed to flee the area. Finn, Ratso, and Chow laughed at the pitiful display, and then exchanged high-fives.

"That was super easy today!" Chow crowed.

"Yeah! I think Mr. Chan's really helpin' us improve!" Ratso agreed.

Seeing that Jackie was still fighting Hak Foo, he jabbed his thumb their way.

"Let's go help Mr. Chan!"

Ratso and Finn nodded, and they raced off to help. Jade tried to go after them, but Tohru held her in a firm grip as Uncle handed him the prepared Chi ingredients.

"You must get close to Bai Tsa, Tohru! Then aim gourd at Water Demon!"

Tohru nodded understandingly, and he finally motioned for Jade to follow him.

Meanwhile, Jackie skated circles around Hak Foo, now that Finn, Ratso, and Chow were there to help. Hak Foo lashed out at all of them, but the wimpy maneuver was dodged easily, and all three Aides shoved him into Jackie's boot as he kicked at Hak Foo's backside. The redhead massaged his backside and growled lowly, irritated that Chan had the upper hand again. Hak Foo used a feint to make it look like he was going to try and punch Chow, but then he rapidly turned and lunged at Jackie, who had let his guard down momentarily. Now that he was on top of Jackie, Hak Foo slugged him left and right, until Finn, Ratso, and Chow, tore him from pummeling Chan.

Hak Foo leaped to his feet again, but Chow and Ratso took an arm each and performed the same trick Chow did on MC Cobra: Tying the sleeves of Hak Foo's outer coal in a knot so that the arms were incapable of being used. Hak Foo furiously attempted to use his legs as weapons, but they were caught by Finn.

"So, ready to haul this one back to Section 13?" Finn chuckled humorously.

Hak Foo narrowed his eyes at the lead Aide, and then abruptly rolled to the side, out of their grasp. Once free, Hak Foo fled the scene.

"Snow bunny flees from vicious wolves!"

Jackie and the Aides got a laugh out of that, all the same. Hak Foo-isms were always amusing. After the laughter died down, Jackie turned seriously to Finn, Ratso, and Chow.

"Now we have to deal with the Water Demon; will you three be able to help?"

All three gave nods of affirmation.

"Of course, Mr. Chan!" Finn grinned. Let's go catch us a Water Demon!"

Spotting the Demoness in the distance, Jackie and the Aides ran in her direction until Shendu intercepted them in Valmont's body.

"You've banished three of my brothers and sister, Chan! Isn't that enough for you?" Shendu dryly asked.

Jackie narrowed his eyes in concentration.

"Unfortunately, Shendu, it is not. Another of your siblings threatens our world, and she must be stopped!"

"Your world?" Shendu scoffed. "It won't be 'yours' for long, Chan, get over it."

Shendu breathed fire at Jackie, but he dodged the attack with ease. Finn, Ratso, and Chow were already working their way around to attack Shendu, but Shendu made an arc with his fire. When the flames came full circle, Jackie rolled on the ground and then leaped up and hooked Valmont's chin with a punch. Hard. Shendu stumbled backwards and fell on his butt. It was at that unfortunate time that Valmont decided to wake up, though…

"Noooooooooo…" Shendu cried as he lost control of Valmont's body.

Valmont took one look around and clutched his head, petrified.

"Shendu, I don't know what you've gotten us into, but I am _out of here_!" Valmont bellowed, beating a hasty retreat back to a jet he could see relatively close by.

The Aides made to pursue Valmont, but Jackie stopped them before they got too far.

"Leave him. Our main concern is the Water Demon."

The Aides nodded in agreement, and the four of them continued running to the Water Demon, who was still hard at work.

Bai Tsa tsk'ed when she saw the Dark Hand's plane fly off. Shendu could be such a coward sometimes…

Bai Tsa didn't have time to dwell on that, though. For a while now, an extremely large human with a small one beside it had been trying to get close to her, and it had been bothering her. And now four average-sized humans were running over to her as well. Jackie Chan was likely among them.

"Leave me to clean up your mess, will you, Shendu? I certainly won't forget this…" Bai Tsa hissed.

Ceasing her progress on the large hole she had made in the ice, Bai Tsa transformed into water and slithered Jackie's way. Jackie saw this, and wasn't quite sure what to do in this instance. How can you fight water with your bare… er, covered hands?

"Be careful!" Jackie warned the Aides. He didn't get much farther, because the water had reached him and was swirling around him now. Bai Tsa formed her head and upper torso as she gazed down menacingly at Jackie.

"Are you the one that my Brothers and Sister are in an uproar about…?" Bai Tsa glared down at him.

Jackie smiled meekly.

"Um… Yes?"

Bai Tsa sharpened her claws. No more words. She swung her sharpened claws at Chan, but he bashed into her, resulting in him leaving her makeshift prison for him, because of going through the water. Bai Tsa's head instantly shifted to facing outward without craning her neck. Jackie was running now, but Bai Tsa would not allow him to escape. Transforming into water fully once again, Bai Tsa went after him vigorously.

Jackie abruptly did a backflip when she caught up to him again, and so he ended up leaping over her watery self. Transforming back into her full demonic form, Bai Tsa let out a gleeful cackle.

"You are indeed flexible, Chan! Let us see how you handle this…"

Planting her claws firmly into the ice, Bai Tsa took control of the icy terrain. The ice beneath Jackie's feet where he landed suddenly transformed into an icy spike that rose up to impale him. Jackie avoided that, though, leaping away quickly.

He soon realized that the _Water Demon _could control all of _Antarctica _if she wanted. This terrified Jackie to no end.

"Bad day, bad day, BAD DAAAY!" Jackie chanted his usual mantra as he kept moving to avoid being impaled by random spikes that jutted up from the ice. Finn, Ratso, and Chow moved to assist Jackie by distracting Bai Tsa, but she soon trapped them within an icy prison with bars.

"You can do it, Mr. Chan!" Chow cheered from behind the bars.

"Yeah, just get her off the ice!" Ratso yelled.

Bai Tsa smiled unpleasantly at that bit of encouragement…

"If you seek to remove me, then I shall simply remove that option from you…"

Bai Tsa transformed into liquid fully once again and melted into the ice, becoming one with the frozen water. Jackie scratched his head at that.

"That's just not fair!"

However, Bai Tsa's cackles drove him to keep moving, and he was sure glad he did, because Bai Tsa was now changing the flat landscape _and _making sharp, pointy stalagmite-like things. Now portions of ice were sliding up and down, and those spikes were popping up all over the place. Jackie literally had no fighting chance whatsoever.

Bai Tsa raised two long and tall chunks of ice that were on either side of Jackie, eventually. He really began to sweat when the walls grew the same spikes on the ground and began moving in on him. Bai Tsa really seemed to enjoy this game, as Jackie leaped from spike to spike in an attempt to get above the pillars of ice before they fully closed. Of course, Bai Tsa made things interesting by making the spikes grow spikes… Jackie was calling foul play big time. He still survived, though, barely, making it to the top of the pillars of ice just as they snapped close violently. Jackie became greatly distressed about what would happen next.

However, he didn't need to worry about that, thankfully. Tohru finally realized that Bai Tsa was one with the ice, and the he did not need to worry about where to aim the gourd, if she was one with the continent.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!"

Recognizing it as an incantation, Bai Tsa didn't bother trying to make the big human stop. She separated herself from Antarctica and slithered away from the Chans, hissing all the way. Realizing he was not in range anymore, Tohru passed the gourd like a baton to Jackie, who was just recovering from all the rapid movement.

"Jackie! She is escaping!"

Jackie caught the gourd after quickly regaining his composure. Then he bolted after Bai Tsa, all while Tohru chanted.

"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!"

Energy shot out from the gourd, but Bai Tsa kept moving, avoiding each blast carefully.

"You cannot catch me, Chan! I am the slipperiest of all my siblings!" Bai Tsa expertly tossed a water ball back at Jackie, accurately knocking the gourd out of his hands.

"No!" Jackie cried, but it was too late. Bai Tsa kept moving after making him drop the gourd, and she eventually leaped into the ocean, where she rapidly swam away.

Jackie, gourd back in his hand, slumped in defeat. For once they did not banish the Demon. Well, truth be told, Hsi Wu had given them the slip as well, back when they were fighting him, but this was far worse. Bai Tsa was indeed a slippery opponent, and they would need to be ready for when she popped up again.

"Uncle… will not be happy…" Jackie massaged his forehead.

"AIIIYAAAH!" Uncle cried, when they returned to the jet and relayed the news to him. "Bai Tsa is free?!"

Shortly after Uncle made that exclamation, Uncle hastily prepared a Spell out of the spare ingredients that he brought that would prevent Bai Tsa from messing with the ice continent any further. But that still didn't calm Uncle down, what with the Water Demon being free and all. Jackie did not block the two finger strike to the head that he deserved. Or the next five or six after that.

"It's okay, Uncle Jackie! We'll get her next time!" Jade tried to cheer him up as the private jet took off for home.

Jackie ran his hand through his hair.

"I wish it were that simple, Jade… But this one will likely take longer to… catch…"

"So? When has that ever stopped you, Mr. Chan?" Chow asked honestly. "We've been one step behind these guys the whole way, and that hasn't stopped you from pursuing them and saving the world!"

"Hey, yeah!" Ratso agreed when he thought about it. "This ain't the first time some Demon managed to slip away! And last time was much worse 'cause of… well… You remember…"

Finn grinned at the optimism in the air. He liked to keep positive.

"You did better this time in sending her packing! She didn't have time to snatch Jade, right, Mr. Chan?" Finn kept smiling at Jackie. That was the key to getting his spirits up; keep optimistic, and keep smiling.

Jackie eventually offered a small smile.

"I suppose you're right…" Jackie conceded. "I'm not giving up. But I'm still not happy about another Demon getting away…"

"Nobody is happy about that, Jackie," Tohru said from his seats. "I think we all blame ourselves for failing this one. I do."

"We were of no help to you, Mr. Chan!" Chow asserted. "Sure, we sent those Dark Hand punks packing, but we couldn't help you when it counted most…"

"We were fighting the Water Demon. On Antarctica, you guys." Jackie reminded them. "I did not see her ability to meld with the continent, but I didn't expect you to fight her single-handed and win. The failure goes to me, because I failed to hit her with the gourd…"

"No way! It's totally my fault, Uncle Jackie!" Jade asserted. "I didn't do anything but help T a little with the Chi Spell. I could've distracted her for you, at least…"

A sigh came from the back of the plane as Uncle finally emerged from the restroom.

"No, it is Uncle's fault… If Uncle had been there, Uncle would have made Spell work…"

Jackie scoffed.

"Uncle! It was too cold for you! No one blames you!"

"Uncle blames Uncle…" Uncle stubbornly replied.

Jade spoke up again.

"Alright, we've all had a good pity party! Let's all agree to get next time, 'kay?" Jade requested. "Besides, we gotta prepare for the Christmas Party now!"

Uncle blinked in confusion.

"Party…?"

Jade covered her mouth sheepishly.

"Whoops. I guess I kinda let that one slip." Jade admitted. "But yeah, we were planning to surprise you tomorrow, Unc. You've been way stressed out lately, and we wanted you to unwind a little."

Uncle rubbed his head as he sat back down.

"Uncle supposes Uncle could make time in schedule…"

"Nope! You're _definitely _taking time away from work, Unc! This is just as much for you as it is for us, and we won't take no for an answer!"

Uncle sighed wearily, but gave Jade a small smile.

"Very well…"

Jackie smiled at the playful banter. It was far from a perfect ending, but it was Christmas Eve now, and they were all in one piece. But though everything was resolved for the time being, Jackie couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he was missing something important, and that he would regret it if he didn't think of it now.

Sighing, Jackie leaned back his head and rested. Oh well, maybe after a quick nap, he'd know whatever it was that was bothering him when he woke up. Too bad for Jackie that he wouldn't find out what was wrong until after Christmas. Oh well, that's what Jackie forgot for not thoroughly making sure Jade didn't have his money, credit card or otherwise…

**And cut. That's a wrap for now! Slightly shorter than usual, but the plot for this Chapter was pretty simple, and it all came out. Yup, Bai Tsa's gonna be loose for a while! No spoilers yet, but she will be out for quite a while…**

** Next time: Two-parter! The Chan Clan will receive a mysterious letter related to Jackie's real day job, and they'll be in for quite the adventure. Shendu, Bai Tsa, Dark Hand, Daolon Wong, Jyutlong… Jackie will have to face down all of them as he explores an ancient city not marked on any map! And all for a relic that is ripe for the picking… **

** If I can't get another update before the end of winter break, it'll be because of spending time with family! But I will try and write some more this break… Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! And thank you for the Reviews, Favorites, and Alerts!**

**Review Replies:**

** Black Dragon Master: Yeah, sorry… I can't update as regularly as some people. I'm sorry about that. School keeps me pretty busy, and I do have other tasks to do. But I do try and update when I can, like now, during winter break. Thanks for the Review!**

** Ultima-owner: Indeed. It's a part of his charm, I suppose.**

** Alana Fox: Hope you enjoyed this Chapter! We've reached the halfway mark in this season. **

** Nightmaster000: Thanks for the Review! Glad to hear the characters are coming out okay. Hope this Chapter was enjoyable.**

** Goldenpurple: Thanks for the Review! I'm happy that the characters are coming out okay. I try my best to make them in-character. Hope this Chapter was enjoyable.**

** D.J. Scale: Glad the past Chapters have been enjoyable. Yeah, problems start now, because Bai Tsa is loose. Expect her to work alongside the Dark Hand for a while. **

** OMAC001: Thanks for the Review! I know it gets hard, waiting, but I do try and update when I can. Winter and summer breaks are the best of times for me to get updates out, when I'm not suffering writer's block. Updates during the school year are rare now, but that's because my workload is bigger. Hope this Chapter was enjoyable!**


End file.
